Mornings Are Evil - A Collection of Korrasami One-Shots
by AvatarAang7
Summary: My very own collection of Korrasami fluff (mostly one-shots) that popped into my head and I just had to write out. I'm posting them all under the same banner here. Chapter 33: Asami has spent so much of her life on her own. How does she really feel about that?
1. The Road to Nowhere Special

Korra was tired, and almost desperate for a break. She'd been riding for three hours straight, and night had nearly fallen. Luck wasn't on her side either, as her thermosflask of coffee had become empty at her last pitstop, and there wasn't a motel in sight.

Fall had come over the Montana Rockies quicker than Korra had expected, but it was nothing she couldn't deal with. After all, growing up in Alaska teaches one a thing or two about dealing with cold weather, but this wasn't exactly the Indian Summer she'd been expecting.

It still counted as one of her best vacations, though. The one thing she really needed was time off after what happened to her in the Army, so she rode all the way from Anchorage to where ever she was when she was tired of it, all by herself. Well, that's if she didn't count Raava, her bike. In truth, it was a customized Harley-Davidson, but she'd done the paintwork herself. The fenders, tank, radiator, and headlight cover were matte white, but Korra had studiously painted them with a light blue tribal pattern to make it absolutely unique.

"Fuckin' finally," she muttered when she spotted lights a little way up the road. Korra still didn't know if it was what she was looking for, but it sure as hell looked like a place to catch her breath and stretch her legs.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a roadside diner. Nothing too fancy, but it would do, and it would at least provide a place for her to catch a cup of coffee and ask for directions to the nearest motel.

As the V-twin ticked itself cool, Korra lovingly patted the handlebars, feeling a sense of pride that Raava had made it this far without breaking down. Outside of the usual pick and mix of pick-up trucks, there was one other bike in the parking lot, though this was more of a racer than a cruiser.

Inside, she plonked herself down at the bar in her typical undignified manner, but it did the trick. She was soon approached by a cheerful woman with a very friendly face. "Good evening, what can I get you?"

Her cheerful demeanor made Korra smile. "I'll settle for some coffee for now, and do you have something light to eat?"

-"How about a hotdog with everything?"

"Sounds great..." Korra leaned to, trying to make sense of the nearly illegible handwritten nametag on the woman's chest. "Kya?"

-"The one and only, honey." With that, she set to work making Korra's coffee, which gave the biker a chance to look around. There were the loggers, someone who looked like a hunter, some douchebag who felt the need to open carry one hell of a big revolver, and the guy she suspected the bike belonged to. At that moment, a girl came walking out of the little hallway that led to the bathrooms.

 _Wow._ That was the only thought running through Korra's mind, because she was stunning. Long, raven hair, perfectly smooth and fair skin, slender build, long legs, the whole nine yards. Put a body like that in leather, and _boom_ , results are nothing if not convincing.

Unfortunately, that leather outfit also lead Korra to believe, correctly as it turned out, that she was with the guy on the racing bike. _So much for a chance at those legs._ She was obviously with the guy on the bike, and this was proven when she sat down across from him. There was a little bit of a wince there, which the biker couldn't really place.

-"Checking out our resident bad boy?" Kya's voice suddenly drew Korra's attention again.

"Not really, I was checking out the girl he's with."

Kya got a slightly worried frown on her face. "He gets pretty jealous, I wouldn't recommend that. Here's your coffee and hotdog." She placed the order in front of the biker, and was on her way again to help her other patrons.

Korra decided to follow her better judgment and dropped it, but couldn't help herself from stealing the occasional glance of the girl in leather. She quickly finished both her coffee and hotdog, and she had to hand it to the woman behind the register: that was one _good_ hotdog. When Korra was paying her bill, she suddenly remembered the reason she stopped here. "Say Kya, do you happen to know any motels close by?"

She thought for a while. "Well, there's an old lodge about ten miles down the road. It's not exactly the Hilton, but it'll do the trick for one night. It has a large wooden indian outside, you can't miss it."

"All right, thanks." She threw down a little bit more tip, and on her way out, tried to catch one last glimpse of the girl, but she was gone. _Strange, I'd imagine I would have heard a bike like that leave._

Turns out she was correct once again, because the scene that greeted Korra pissed her off considerably.

-"Come on, just take the picture!" the 'resident bad boy' yelled at the girl in leather, while he was sitting on Raava. "What are you, stupid?"

"Hey!" Korra yelled. "That's a 30.000 dollar bike, why don't get off before I rearrange your teeth?"

The girl cautiously stepped back. "I told him he shouldn't have done it..."

-"Shut up, you stupid bitch," the guy spat at his girlfriend, and turned to the biker girl. "Big talk for a little girl. What are you gonna do, wash my socks too hot?"

Korra said nothing, and instead held the left side of her leather jacket open, revealing the Glock 19 and an Army knife in her shoulder holster, clearly taking him by surprise. "Get lost," she calmly ordered him, and he stepped back.

-"Come on Asami, we're leaving."

As she walked by Korra, the biker girl noticed something. "Hold on there, honey," she said, stopping the girl by her shoulder. "How'd you get that?"

She suddenly got nervous. "Get what?" she replied with a shaking voice.

"The bruise on your cheek, the one you tried to cover up with a little bit of powder."

-"Asami, get on the bike!" he yelled, and this was starting to piss Korra off.

"Shut it, Sharkbrows," she said, and turned back to Asami. "Hearing him talk like that, I'd be willing to bet my bike he's the one who gave it to you." The girl in leather didn't say anything, but she looked down and nodded. "How many ribs did he break?"

The guy stepped forward again. "Don't you dare answer that..." he threatened.

"Or what? You're gonna put her in the ER again?" Korra stepped closer to him, protecting Asami. "Because I promise you this: you're going to be in the room next to her."

He swung, but the biker girl had seen it coming, so it was an easy punch to block. She put his arm in a lock, giving her all the room in the world to land one of her own, square in the middle of his face. This knocked him down on the ground, and it took Asami by surprise. "Damn..." she said, staring at the whole thing in surprise.

-"Can it, you fucking whore!" the guy yelled, and Korra kicked him in the stomach again - hard.

"It's about time someone taught you to have a little respect for women," Korra said, and then turned to Asami. "You heading somewhere?"

A slight smile appeared on her face. "Nowhere special."

"I could give you a ride there," Korra offered.

Her smile grew. "I'd like that," Asami said, and took her helmet from the back of her boyfriend's bike.

Korra was about to climb onto Raava, when the guy managed to will himself to his feet again. "You won't get away with this," he threatened, but the biker girl knew it was hollow. Instead of sitting down, she walked around and drew her knife, planting it firmly in his front tire. "Consider that a light punishment for domestic violence," Korra snarkily replied. "Have a nice walk home, asshole."

She holstered the knife again when she was back on Raava, and Asami sat behind her, wrapping her slender arms around Korra's waist. "Wait... Asami..." he chortled out.

Korra could feel the tall girl turning around. "Fuck you, Mako."

With a loud roar, they took off, riding into the night.

* * *

 _I wanted to give you all a new chapter of The Callgirl for Valentine's, but that isn't finished, and then I remembered I had this in the wings. I wrote it in the wake of watching Sons of Anarchy, which I highly recommend you do if you haven't already._


	2. Soldier's Eyes - Part 1

Korra always liked this place. It wasn't a particularly large coffee shop, and nor was it the best priced, or even had the best coffee. But it had good service, and it was located at a very special place: right across from the World War 2 memorial. It always reminded her that somehow, it hadn't all been for nothing.

Typically, Korra spent quite a bit of time down here, mostly because of the memorial, but also because it was close to her own apartment. Getting around without a car was difficult, and unfortunately, that wasn't within her reach just yet. But right here, so close to home, there was always activity, the friendly staff, and the welcoming smell of coffee. Korra busied herself reading, both the old-fashioned way as well as e-books, like she was doing today.

Her cup had become empty fifteen minutes ago, but that didn't bother the staff. Morning rush hour was over as well, and they typically didn't mind her reading there if that was the case. Right now though, Korra was feeling like another one.

With a sigh, she shut her iPad down, and wheeled herself over to the counter for a refill. "Hey Jin, can I get another one?"

-"Sure thing, coming right up." Jinora set to work making Korra her regular order: a mochachino with an extra shot of espresso. Chocolate to make her feel slightly happier, extra caffeine to make something of the - at best - mediocre coffee. In the middle of making it, Jinora turned around and smiled. "You can go back to your reading, I'll bring it to you in a minute."

Korra flashed her a small smile back. "Thanks." She turned her wheelchair around, rolling back to her table, where she picked up her e-book again. A few minutes later, Jinora did exactly as she promised, bringing Korra her mocha. It was at about this time that another regular customer entered, though it was one that Korra still hadn't bothered learning the name from, but which she definitely should in the not too distant future, because **damn**.

She was flat-out gorgeous; long legs, typically squeezed into skinny jeans (today was no exception), perfect hourglass figure, long, flowing, raven black hair, and the brightest green eyes Korra had ever seen. That didn't include her ever immaculate make-up, her perfectly proportioned face, or even her _very_ easy-on-the-eyes posterior. To say that Korra was a bit jealous of her would be an understatement, but then again, Korra was jealous of virtually anyone with two functioning legs.

They briefly locked eyes, which made Korra blush, as she was kind of unapologetically staring. Instead of creepily gawking at her while she was ordering her coffee, Korra focused back on her iPad, reading her book as she did.

-"Mind if I join you?"

Korra looked up, seeing the woman standing right in front of her. "Uhh, sure," she stammered, holding up her hand to urge her to sit down. "What's your name?"

-"I'm Asami," she said, hanging her leather jacket over the seat and placing her helmet on the table. "What's yours?"

"Korra. Say, not to pry, but don't you normally have a very heavy bag with a lot of paperwork in it?"

Asami raised an eyebrow. "Been stalking much?" she asked, though her smirk gave away that remark was more sarcastic than ticked off.

A slight blush colored Korra's cheeks. "Well, you know, I might have seen you around."

The smirk just kept on lining Asami's face. "Well, not to worry, I've noticed you in here too." The both took a sip of their coffees, and when they put them back down, she spoke up again. "Can I ask you something?"

"Depends on the question."

She stayed quiet for a moment, eyeing Korra up. "You were a soldier, weren't you?"

Korra was surprised. Two minutes with her and she'd already figured it out. "Yes I was. I assume it was this thing that gave me away," she said, tapping her wheelchair.

Much to her surprise, Asami shook her head. "No. You have a soldier's eyes. Eyes that have seen things that no one should ever have to see. You can always tell who has them if you know what to look for."

Korra leaned back in her seat, eyeing her up closely, but she didn't find what she was looking for. "How do you know this, when chances are that you weren't a soldier?"

-"I work down at the VA, lead group therapy sessions. A lot of veterans come there, share experiences, hear people who went through the same thing. They find comfort in each other."

"I suppose you want me to come as well?"

-"Never seen you over there, so I was wondering."

"Look, I appreciate the concern, but sitting in a circle and singing Kumbayah isn't really my thing."

Asami chuckled. "That's not what we do. Now I don't know what you've been through, but..."

Korra didn't let her finish, as this was a sensitive subject for her. "No you don't," she snapped. "I've buried more friends than I care to mention, and the worst part is that I couldn't even help carry their coffins because I'm stuck in this fucking chair. Fuck you, I don't need help."

During this outburst, Asami said nothing, and it stayed quiet for a long time between them. Korra had turned her attention back to her iPad, though what she was reading wasn't sticking. She'd read the same page at least six times and still had no idea what was happening on it.

-"I think you do," Asami eventually said. "And what's more, I think you know it, just not willing to admit it." She pulled a business card out of her pocket, placing it on the table between them. "Think about it," she calmly said, taking her jacket and helmet with her. "Put her order on my tab," was the last thing Korra caught of her before she walked out the door.

This was a very strange feeling. Korra hadn't felt guilty to someone so directly since she came back from Afghanistan two years ago. She had been a total bitch to Asami, and yet here she was, patient, kind, generous, the whole nine yards. It was rare to come across someone who wasn't taking pity on her because 'she's in a wheelchair and therefore a sad story' or 'thanking her for her service' that Korra found total bullshit. It was her civic duty, and if she did it for pats on the back, she did it for the wrong reasons.

She looked out the window, seeing Asami getting on her motorcycle, and Korra felt another pang of jealously go through her. Something she'd dreamt of more than anything was to get herself a motorcycle as well, but that dream was shattered along with her legs.

Still, that hardly excused her behavior just now. She would _definitely_ have to apologize for that next time Asami came by the shop.

Unfortunately for Korra, she didn't. Three days went by, and Asami didn't come by the coffee shop, even when Korra showed up extra early to make sure she'd sit through the morning rush hour. After that, it was weekend, and not even Korra was depressed enough to spend her weekends in there. It was over the weekend that she came to a different conclusion: she'd have to go see Asami.

The business card had an address on it, and it wasn't too far from the coffee shop. Mind you, any distance is quite far when you have to go there by wheelchair. Instead of doing that, she called a cab service, explained her situation, and got a very friendly and helpful driver to get her over to the VA.

Korra didn't like coming here. It felt like being back in the hospital that made her utterly miserable for so many weeks after she'd come back from Afghanistan. That was partly her own fault, as she threw a massive fit, screaming the entire hospital security staff together when she found out what had really happened to her and to her unit. It also caused her a sprained wrist and two torn tendons in her arms, because she had been in a coma for two weeks and hadn't used her muscles at all.

-"You decided to come!" a cheery voice came from behind her. Korra swiveled her wheelchair around, seeing those long legs striding towards her in a confident pace.

"Something like that." She took a deep breath. "Look, I just wanted to apologize to you. I've barely spoken to anyone about what happened to me in Afghanistan, and for people to then start prying into it just feels wrong to me. I know it's a shitty excuse, but I just wanted you to know that part. You deserve that much."

A slight smile appeared on Asami's face. "Apology accepted. Now, since you're here, care to join a session? You don't have to say anything, just try listening first, see what happens. If you don't like it, you can leave and never come back."

Korra mulled it over for a few moments, before deciding it probably couldn't do any harm. "Sure, what's there to lose?" She wheeled herself after Asami, who went into a room, most people already there. What Korra immediately noticed was that she seemed to be the only one who was physically disabled, the rest appeared to be fully functioning from a distance.

But a closer look revealed exactly what Asami had said: they all had the same look in their eyes. Just like she said, they were all vaguely distant, as if they still were trying to suppress very vivid memories.

Everyone took notice of her entrance, but no one said anything. Instead of joining the existing circle, Korra moved herself over to the back of the room, making sure she at least had full oversight of all comings and goings.

The stories she heard were heavy, yet they were all familiar. People who were saw their friends get killed right in front of them, stories of Black Hawks downed while carrying entire units, or like herself, convoys stumbling over IED's, killing or injuring men by the truckload.

But there was one story in particular that stood out to her. It was from another woman, one that Korra would have never guessed to be the military type, but there she was.

-"It was in Helmand... First tour, one of my first missions. We had to go door-to-door in a town, plenty of support, snipers and everything to have our backs. That was a nice feeling, but the end result was... less than stellar. There was a mother with a kid, came out in the middle of the street, and they just kept coming at us, even when there were a dozen M16's pointed at them. No one had the guts to pull the trigger though. No one but the sniper, he shot the mother first, kid second. The mother took a headshot and was killed instantly, but the kid took a bullet to the chest, and lived for a few more seconds."

She briefly paused for a chuckle. "That mother was a complete psychopath, because she was the one wearing a belt of explosives. The kid had a grenade, and she just didn't want him to become an orphan. I was the first one to reach him, but he took a 7.62 to the chest, no way could he have survived that, so he died in my arms. Couldn't have been more than ten years old."

Again, the girl paused fidgeting with her hands for a bit. "I haven't been able to put him out of my head ever since. He had these massive grey eyes, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about him. Every night when I'm in bed, I see those eyes, and I can't help but feel guilt, like he was shot for me. Like if I wouldn't have been there, he wouldn't have died."

It stayed silent for a while in the room after she finished talking, which was ultimately broken by Asami. "You can't control everything that happens, but you can control how you respond. You just have to figure out how, but that is why we're all here. To help you. It doesn't matter if you're 15.000 miles away, or right here in this room; you are not alone, Opal."

After the meeting, they mixed a little bit more, talking to each other. Korra wheeled herself over to Opal, wanting to talk to her. "That was heavy stuff back there."

She nodded and looked down, taking a seat beside her.

"What branch were you?"

-"Army. Made it to corporal, couldn't shake it after that. Didn't go back for a second tour. You?"

Korra nodded. "Marines. Did two tours, this happened to me three weeks before I was supposed to go home," she said, tapping her wheelchair. "I'm Korra."

-"Opal."

"Nice to meet you." Korra took a deep breath, because now came the big one. "It was me."

Opal looked at her incredulously. "What do you mean?"

"I was the sniper keeping over watch, the one who shot the kid."

Her surprise was only growing. " _You_ are the Angel of Helmand?"

Korra smiled. "So I've been told."

-"You saved my life, and the life of the dozen men next to me. That crazy bitch had enough explosives around her waist to bring down a building. Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

Opal took a sip of her coffee, trying to buy some time, was Korra's best guess. "Is it true that you killed 83 insurgents?"

Korra nodded. "83 confirmed, the actual number is closer to 120. The kid and the mother were confirmed." She briefly paused. "Sorry I did that right in front of you."

She shrugged. "Someone had to. Can I ask, does it ever bother you, that you had to do it?"

"It was you or the kid, so I chose you. I remember that day exactly." Korra sighed, leaning back in her wheelchair. "You know, I don't think it'll ever leave me. After all, I shot a kid, but if I hadn't, I would have a dozen extra graves on Arlington on my conscience. So no, I'm not happy I had to do it, but if I had to pull that trigger again, I wouldn't hesitate a moment to do so."

Opal smiled, and patted the back of Korra's hand. "And that's what makes you a good soldier." She took a quick look at the clock. "Well, I'm afraid I have to go. I hope you come by again, it was nice meeting you."

"Likewise. See you around, Opal." Korra watched as she retreated, thinking their meeting over. She remembered that day exactly but never thought about the implications it would have for the soldiers at the receiving end of her M110. In her mind, it was always just that they would have gotten a brief surge of adrenaline, and that would be it. She also didn't know that the kid wasn't killed instantly like she always thought he did.

But now she slowly started to realize how complex it must have been for all of them down there. Korra had met one, but who were the other eleven, and how were they handling it? Were they all in the same state as Opal, or more in the mindset that Korra thought they would be in?

She pondered the issue for a while, but then her train of though was interrupted by Asami. "What did you think?

"Well, it's not the floaty-spiritual-enlightenment-zen-bullshit I thought it would be. It looks like you're really helping these people."

-"This is my way of doing my civic duty. Look, I'm not a soldier, I can't go over there and protect this country like you did, but I can do this, which I think is the next best thing. I'm working on a few other things as well, but as of now, this is the only thing I can really do."

"What other things?"

-"A few projects to help veterans like yourself, who have lost part of their bodies, or at least, the use of part of it in your case. I work for Future Industries, it's my father's company, but I spend three mornings a week here at the VA."

Korra smiled. "That explains."

-"Explains what?" Asami asked with a confused look on her face.

"The BMW K1300R you're riding. That's an expensive pair of wheels, and I figured you wouldn't be able to afford it with a volunteer's salary of squat."

Asami chuckled. "Yeah, I suppose. You're right though, I do this because I want to, and I work at my dad's company because I'm expected to." A brief silence fell between them. "You wanted one too?"

"I promised myself to buy one when I got back from my second tour. Not an import though, I'd go for something made from pure American clog iron."

-"Harley?" Asami asked, a slight grin on her face.

"Biggest Harley-fan on four wheels," Korra smirked back, and Asami's grin quickly turned into full-blown laugh, which was just a very... _nice_ sound. "Hey, if I can't make a self-deprecating joke, there's not a lot left for me." This only made Asami laugh harder, which made it all worth it. It was at about this point that Korra decided to go for it. "Hey Asami? Can I ask you for something?"

-"Sure, go ahead."

"Go out with me for a cup of coffee? Maybe so I can make sure it doesn't end with me yelling at you?"

The smile that was still on her lips slightly grew, and Korra could swear she saw a hint of a blush on Asami's cheeks. "Yeah. I'd like that."

* * *

 _Well guys, little one-shot here for you, probably going to make this into a two-parter. It was a little something that popped into my mind after listening to Jack Savoretti's Soldier's Eyes. (Magnificent song from the Sons of Anarchy soundtrack. Brilliant show, great soundtrack, highly recommend looking it up.)_


	3. Inked

"Do we really have to do this?" Asami groaned, though she was only offering minimal resistance as Jinora dragged her by the hand towards a tattoo shop.

-"Yes, we do. Come on, 'Sami, you know we agreed to do this, and you have constantly been too much of a wuss to actually see it through," the younger girl snidely replied, causing Asami to let out another sigh.

It was true, she wanted to get the tattoo, it had been something she had been wanting to do for a long time, but the thing was, she hated needles. As far as phobias went, Asami didn't have many, she was fine with heights, insects, clowns, ducks, and almost anything else, but the idea of having a whole bunch of needles striking her over and over again to etch a drawing into her skin was really freaking her the fuck out.

Now though, Jinora was old and stupid enough to be allowed to do this on her own, and she had finally convinced Asami that they were going to do this together. Chances were that Tenzin was going to flip if he learned about this, especially if he heard that Asami was going along with his eldest daughter to get one in sync.

"Where are we even going?"

Jinora stoically kept on walking, still dragging Asami half behind her. "There's this place I heard of from a friend in my Air Nomad History class, he said it's really good. I've looked them up online, and they have delivered some really good work. Ah! Here we are!"

Asami looked up, seeing a small building named 'Naga's Tattoo Shop'. On the outside, there wasn't much to see about it, but on the inside, the story was completely different. All the walls were lined with pictures of newly done tattoos, and most of them looked brilliant. They came in all shapes and sizes, ranging from people having their whole back covered with massive dragons to just the tiniest Egyptian hieroglyphs people had on their wrist.

-"Afternoon," came the cheery greeting from a man behind the counter. "How may I help you?"

"I'm here to talk about a mortgage," Asami replied, a small chuckle escaping from her, even though she was trying to keep her face straight.

He laughed too. "We have another cynic. Korra, you can take this one," he called out to the back, where a tanned woman emerged from behind a curtain.

 _Wow,_ was the most prevalent thought in Asami's head. Korra, apparently, was _gorgeous_. She was relatively short, with a messy bob haircut, and her blue tank top left no question about the hows and whats, because damn. Her _very_ muscular arms were both covered, one with a very intricate Maori design covering her entire left arm, a very colorful galaxy tattoo on her lower right, and an image of Raava on her upper right arm.

-"Hey there," she said, breaking Asami's stare, who instantly turned bright red.

"Hi," Asami murmured back, after which it fell awkwardly silent.

-"Anyway..." Jinora spoke up, breaking the slightly awkward atmosphere that had fallen. "Me and Asami here both want tattoos, though not the same things."

-"First time?" Korra asked, a slight smirk on her face. _Damn that's attractive._

-"Yep, we're both new to this."

Her smile grew. "Hmm, blank sheets... Kai, you want the little one?"

The man at the register eyed both of his new customers up, and then gently started nodding. "You take the other one, I have a feeling she's more of your thing," he smirked.

Jinora had her mouth open from surprise. "I... Am I really that short?" she asked Asami on a whisper.

"Kind of," Asami smirked back, enjoying the look of surprise on her friend's face. "Don't worry though, you're also adorable."

-"Alright then, Asami, you can follow me to the back," Korra said, gesturing her along. "What did you have in mind?" she asked when they were both sitting.

"Well, I wanted to get a tattoo of two roses on my hip. I don't really have a reference picture, if you need that kind of thing."

Korra shook her head. "Nah, nothing to worry about, I know what a rose looks like. How do you want it, black and white, color, watercolor?"

"Watercolor?" Asami asked, not knowing exactly what that would entail.

-"It's a fairly new technique, one that doesn't involve lines which make it look like a paint-by-numbers drawing. Hold on." She walked behind her curtain again, only to emerge a few moments later with a book in her hand. "Here, these are a few good examples."

Asami quickly thumbed through, and they did look good. "This is actually quite appealing, I didn't know about this. Can you make them in red, with green stems, and that the stems are intertwined?"

-"Sure, no problem."

"And how do the colors hold?"

-"Just fine," Korra said, and slid her stool back a bit, lifting the hem of her top.

Two things that Asami was interested in came into view: most of all, _holy mother of Raava, those abs are probably harder than diamonds,_ though what Korra was probably referring to was the hummingbird in all sorts of colors on her right hip. "Got it done three years ago, and it's holding just fine," she explained. Asami took her time studying it, _not at all to have the opportunity to stare at those amazing abs a little longer_ , and realized that something without the lines was exactly what she wanted.

"Looks great. How soon can you have this ready?"

-"Give me an hour to draw some things up, you and your short friend can spend some time out in the city," Korra chuckled.

Asami stood up again, and looked over to Jinora, who was in an animated conversation with Kai. This was also around the time she noticed the light blue arrows on both of his hands, which was when the penny dropped. "Alright, I'll be back then. See you in an hour."

Jinora _totally by accident_ brushed past Kai's hand on her way out, and it made Asami smile. "You know, there are easier ways to get a guy to go out with than to get a tattoo from him."

The way she flushed told her enough: she was pulling on the right string here. "I... I'm not..." Jinora stuttered, and it made Asami laugh.

"Save it, the arrows on his hand make me think he's the guy from your Air Nomad History class, isn't he?"

-"He is," Jinora said, partially embarrassed. "But that's not the reason I'm getting a tattoo, it's because I am one from descent. He's just very good."

"Sure he is." This went on for a while, and they decided to settle it over drinks. Jinora got some sweet revenge by jabbing at how blatantly Asami had been eye-fucking Korra, so it wasn't as subtle as she hoped it had been.

Eventually though, they made their way back to the parlor, where both Kai and Korra had finished their drawings. The latter had drawn up several roses for Asami, each different, but all looking pretty damn good. Kai could start much sooner, as Jinora had been far more certain about what she wanted, whereas Asami first had to make a choice between Korra's designs.

Ultimately though, she picked the best looking one, and Korra applied the roses to her hip, getting a baseline along which she would draw.

"Okay, before we start, I gotta ask: how big is the needle?"

Korra looked up from her preperating work, raising an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you're afraid of needles..."

"Only a little bit," Asami replied with a small voice. "It's... kind of the reason I don't have a tattoo yet."

-"Alright, I'm not gonna say it's painless, because it's not. It will sting, but I'll probably be done within the hour. The needle itself is actually very small, here, take a look." She handed Asami the tattoo gun in its plastic packing, and she could barely discover any needle on there. The end looked a little sharp, but it wasn't anything like a surgical needle.

Asami sighed in relief. "Okay, thanks. I'm good now." She lay down on her side, giving Korra the easiest access, who had all of her ink and needles prepped.

-"Like I said, it'll sting a bit, so try to lie still." Asami braced herself, but in reality, the pain wasn't too bad. "You chose wisely," Korra chuckled. "The hip is one of the least painful places to get a tattoo, outside of maybe your ass. Any place that doesn't have a layer of fat on it, like your hands and feet, will hurt like hell. Found that one out the hard way," she smirked, holding up her left hand, showing that the Maori design ran over there as well.

The artist worked on diligently, first doing the outline of the first flower, in red, as they had agreed. "So what made you want to get a pair of roses?" she asked after a while.

"My mom, she really liked roses," Asami replied. "She died when I was six, and there is just so little that I can remember about her, I just want there to be something permanent. Something that will make sure I'll never forget her."

-"That's sweet of you. But why now? You're 29, why wait until now to get one?"

"Like I said, I kind of freak whenever I see a needle. Really hate the damn things. Finally let Jinora convince me to go through with it, because I have been thinking about getting it for a long time." Asami was glad Korra was talking to her, as it was distracting her from the stinging sensation emanating from the needle. "Alright, time for you to answer one of my questions: who is Naga? Has to be pretty important if the shop is named after her."

Korra pulled the needle away for a moment and chuckled. "Naga is the lazy bitch sleeping in the corner." She gestured over to the far end of the shop, where a massive white dog was peacefully asleep.

"Well, I'll be damned, is it actually a 'she'?" Asami started laughing too.

The artist enthusiastically nodded. "Of course, I wouldn't insult my own dog like that. The only one lazier than her is Kai!" she called out across the store to him, even though he was currently working on Jinora's shoulder.

-"Screw you too, Korra."

-"That's Boss to you, Junior." Korra turned back to Asami's hip, continuing the onslaught. "Anyway, since I couldn't decide on a name for the shop, I decided to go with Naga. Dogs are perfect companions, because if you train them well, they're loyal, cute, and then when a robber comes and pulls a gun on your employee, she has the power to rip his throat out."

"That really happened?!" Asami exclaimed in shock.

Korra chuckled again. "Well, not exactly. There was a robber one day, and while he was paying attention to Kai taking the money from the register, he failed to notice Naga coming up to him and lunging for his hand. She bit him so hard that he dropped the gun, and refused to let go until I told her to. Turns out, she chewed off one of the guy's fingers. Didn't feel the need to press charges after that, and we let her stay in the shop ever since."

"He didn't feel the need to sue for damages?"

-"Ha! As if. We had him on camera committing an armed robbery, so even if he got something out of it from us, he'd only be able to enjoy it in 20 years."

Asami laughed too, and she started to realize just how easy it was to talk with Korra. She worked consistently through the hour and a half, talking about everything and nothing. Asami's job as an architect at her father's company, their mutual favorite song being House of the Rising Sun, how Korra originally came from the Southern Water Tribe, some good ways to burn through a boring night with the help of Netflix and a bottle of amaretto, a few exes (girl- and boyfriends for both), and how the artist ended up with a tattoo parlor. "Always wanted to do something with art," she explained. "Ever since I was a little girl, I've had a particular affection for drawing stuff. Drove my parents mad, because they actually liked their cream-colored walls _without_ either crayon or felt-tip or whatever else I could get my hands on to draw with. Forced my dad to repaint that room so many damn times, because I was also stubborn as hell, and wouldn't learn a damn thing."

"So how'd you end up here in Republic City? Sounds like you're a long way from home."

Korra sighed, and Asami looked up, seeing a tinge of sadness in her eyes. "Yeah, I am," she admitted. "Part of me wants to go home, because I haven't seen my parents in years. They don't have the money to fly up here, and I only hired Kai a few months ago, I don't think he's quite ready to run the shop on his own." She gestured Asami to lie back down on her side, and then continued her work. "What about you? Got any bigger goals than working at your dad's company?"

Asami thought for a moment. "Well, I suppose the day will come that he'll retire, and I think I'll take over from there. I don't know yet if that's exactly what I want, because I like the hands-on approach as well. You know, having my feet on the ground, overseeing construction projects, drawing up schematics for the necessary parts myself, that kind of stuff. The paperwork is okay up to a certain point, but if I couldn't interchange it with actually designing stuff, I'd probably go mad within the month."

-"And what if you discover that you don't want to take over?"

"Might drop out of my dad's company all together, build something for myself where I can actually do that. Something small, hands-on, something like what you have here. Small, personal, one or two employees, something like that."

-"Sounds really good, I think you should do it while you can still enjoy it. Don't wait too long, because opportunities can slip through your fingers just like that."

The time Asami spent on the table flew by, and it was all because Korra was talking to her. Her hip stung a little when she was done, but when Asami looked in the mirror, it was definitely worth it. The roses looked amazing, photorealistic, and just like Korra said, no black lines to make it look like a coloring book. "Wow... I just... Wow, Korra, it looks great."

The artist gave Asami a few tips for aftercare, before heading over to the counter, where Jinora was already waiting for her. "Looks great, makes your ass stand out," the younger girl smirked.

"Well, let me see yours then." Jinora turned around, revealing the three light blue spirals of the Air Nation on her left shoulder. It was small and discreet, something that wouldn't be noticed from a distance if you didn't know what to look for, exactly. "Looks good, Jinny. Now it's time to freak out your parents."

They all laughed, and Korra lead Asami over to the counter, where it was time for her to pay, and this had Asami feeling a little sad. Her time on the table, talking with Korra, it was so easy, and just so... _nice_ , and it was already over. Her words resonated through Asami's mind, and after paying, she decided to make a move. "Korra? Did you really mean what you said about opportunities?"

-"I did." There was a twinkle of anticipation in her eyes, and it made Asami a little more steadfast in what she wanted to ask.

"Would you like to go out for dinner with me? Tomorrow, after you close up shop?"

Korra smiled, and much to Asami's surprise, leaned in, quickly pecking her on the lips. "And here I was, thinking I was going to have to ask you myself."

It made Asami's insides bubble up with excitement, and it made her smile like never before. "Alright, see you tomorrow." She and Jinora walked out again, both with a massive smile plastered on their faces. "Judging by the way you look, Kai asked you out as well?"

-"We should get tattooed more often. Makes for some great dating opportunities."


	4. Smokin'

-"Get ready, we're going out tonight."

Asami looked up from her game of Need for Speed, resisting the urge to flick her cigarette at Opal. "Nah, don't feel like it. You go, I'll be fine."

Opal sighed. "Asami, you haven't felt like doing anything since you broke up with Mako. All you do is sit here in your underwear, smoke cigarettes, play videogames, and wait for me to come home with another bottle of scotch for you."

Asami scoffed. "He had been cheating on me for nearly six months, in my own bed even. Yes, I suppose everyone else would just dust themselves off and go on like nothing ever happened."

Resigning to the fact that yelling wasn't going to get her anywhere, Opal sat down next to her roommate, wrapping an arm around her. "I'm not saying that you can't be angry at him, or frustrated, or sad even. You were together for three years, but you haven't been feeling anything at all. You need to get laid and feel better about yourself, at least for a little while. If nothing else, do it to get back at Mako."

Sighing, Asami blew out another puff of smoke. "Maybe," she reluctantly agreed.

-"Here's what we're going to do: you are going to take a shower because you sorely need one, then we are going to dress up in slutty clothes, and get you laid. I'll be your wingman, but you have _got_ to get out of the apartment. You're practically a part of the furniture."

This made Asami smile, at least. It was a faint smile, but it was something. "Alright, but I call dibs on the shower. You're not going to use up all the hot water before me."

Opal smiled too. "Fair enough. Now get ready, because I know exactly where we need to go."

Asami crushed the butt of her cigarette in the ashtray, before slumping over to the bathroom. A look in the mirror confirmed what Opal had said: she looked like shit. Her hair was greasy, mostly because she hadn't showered in... well, it had to be at least three days. She was wearing an old white tank top that had many, many stains of unknown origin, along with a pair of men's boxers from who knows where.

She had been sleeping on the couch after she caught Mako with some slut _in Asami's own bed_ three weeks ago. They had been together for nearly three years, and Asami was considering asking him to move in together. Good thing she didn't, but mistakes had already been made, one of which she was forced to confront when she stripped for the shower.

Asami had plenty of tattoos that she was perfectly content with: the elaborate design of the Future Industries logo on her left shoulder she got after her dad died, the barbed wire cuffed around her bicep just underneath it, the 'Not all those who wander are lost' on her ankle, the butterfly on her right shoulder blade, but the one she regretted was the one she got as a love-struck idiot: the heart with 'Mako' written in it on her hip.

Luckily, the heart was red and the letters were simply left blank, so it should be a fairly easy job to cover it up.

Even though she hated to admit it, getting a shower again after so long was _heavenly_. Feeling clean hair drape over her shoulders again had been far too long, and _not_ feeling a little bit of sick rise in her throat when she smelled her own armpit had its benefits as well.

Shower over and teeth brushed, Asami wrapped herself and her hair in towels, making her way over to her room, the one she hadn't set foot in for nearly three weeks. In it, she found Opal going through her closet, discarding clothes left and right.

-"Too brown... Too modest... Good lord, were you dressing up as a 50's school teacher?" Opal mumbled, throwing all kinds of clothes over her shoulder, unaware that her roommate was done showering and currently watching her.

"Ahem," Asami announced herself. "Are you just making a mess or actually trying do something useful?"

Opal looked up and smiled. "Like I said, you need something slutty, because all you need right now is an easy lay."

"What image do you have in your head of me?"

-"We're going to a sleazy bar, not to mass. All you have in your closet are clothes that any clergyman would approve of."

Asami sighed. "I left most of my clubbing-clothes at Mako's place. He probably gave them to the slut he was fucking instead of me."

Opal put her chin between her thumb and index finger. "Hmm, that is a pickle..." Suddenly, her smile changed for the devious. "Come with me." She walked off to her own room, dragging Asami by the wrist behind her. Here, she dug through the closet, pulling out various sets, and this made Asami increasingly skeptical.

"Opal, you are three sizes smaller than me, I can't go in your clothes."

-"Of course you can, all you need to do is dare to. Aha! There we go!" Triumphantly, she pulled out a dark red crop top with buttons on the front. It was rather minimal, even when someone of Opal's size was wearing it.

Asami raised an unconvinced eyebrow. "You're kidding, right? Ope, if I wear that, my boobs are gonna pop out every time I take a step."

-"That's why it's perfect! No need to get rid of a lot of pesky clothing once you have someone hooked. Go and change into it, and make sure to wear a pair of black hot pants underneath." Asami hesitated, and that's when Opal got impatient. "Go!"

With a roll of her eyes, she took the top, and went to her room to change.

-"And I better not find you wearing a bra!"

"For fuck's sake..." Asami muttered, starting to regret more and more that she had given in. She dug through the pile of clothes now on the floor, finding herself a pair of panties, small hot pants, and a belt to top it all off. Getting into Opal's top was damn-near impossible, and even if she wanted to wear a bra, she wouldn't have been able to because the top would have exploded. As it stood, it was only impossible to get the bottom button to close.

It would do like this. Since she was going for a 'badass' look, Asami pulled out her spiked leather armband and matching necklace, as well as her army boots. They weren't very stylish, but wearing them when they were only laced half-way up, they did look cool in a slightly fascist kind of way.

When she stepped out again after having applied nice and dark make-up, she found her roommate waiting for her in her infamous 'hip window'-dress. What it basically was, was a green cocktail dress with openings on the hips, which revealed three things: the Beifong family crest tattooed on her left hip, the swans on her right hip, and the fact that she wasn't wearing any underwear. "You're just planning for things to go wrong tonight, aren't you?"

Opal chuckled. "Don't worry, if you end up in an embarrassing situation, at least you won't be alone. Shall we?"

It was obvious to Asami that her roommate had this entire thing planned, so the best thing she could do was to go along with it for now. They hailed a cab, which was probably the best mode of transportation for two women who were both planning on getting wasted.

Once Opal said they were at the venue, Asami looked out, seeing it was indeed a very sleazy bar. Once they were out of the cab, Asami first lit another cigarette, hoping to buy herself a few minutes outside, but Opal had thought of that. "Uh-uh, they don't have a smoking policy here. Come on, finish it inside."

Inside was precisely what Asami had expected: the smell of smoke, sweat, and stale beer. Could be worse though, there were also bars that smelled like piss and vomit, so this would do for now. Opal quickly went to order them a beer, which gave her a chance look around. There was the bar, the dancefloor, and at first glance, no one who really caught her attention, neither guys nor girls. Hell, most of them were more boys than men, she'd say.

-"Any contenders?" Opal suddenly appeared behind Asami again, handing her a beer and a shot.

"Nope, only ones that would make me guilty of pedophilia." She decided to down the shot first, and then calm her mouth down with a sip of beer. This continued for a while, taking multiple shots, looking around for contenders, until they were both fairly buzzed, Opal more than Asami. Opal was a lightweight.

She chuckled. "There's a cute guy at the bar." Asami turned around, trying to find him. "Green tank, cute buns, button nose." She spotted the one her roommate meant, and saw that he was insanely muscular, even though he was quite short.

"Don't bother. Bet you ten bucks he's gay."

-"I will take that bet!" Opal exclaimed. "What makes you think that..." The rest of her sentence was lost to Asami, as a woman came walking up to him, and _damn_. This was the kind of woman she was after right now.

She had short hair, and relatively dark skin, but it was perfectly stretched over a _very_ muscular body. In her hair, there was a blue bead, and closer inspection learned her that she also had a nose piercing. She was dressed in a white tank top that accentuated her toned body and a short skirt that revealed her deliberately torn stockings, all of which made her look _smokin'_ hot. On top of everything else, there was a tribal band cuffed around her right bicep.

She handed the guy in the green tank a beer, but judging by the way they interacted, they weren't together.

By now, Opal had noticed that Asami was staring, and she followed her gaze. "Oh boy, target acquired."

"I'll say..." Asami mumbled before she really knew what she was saying.

-"Alright, let's do it. You take yours, I'll find out about the guy."

They moved in, positioning themselves so that Opal was next to the guy, and Asami next to the woman she was after. "Evening," the latter opened with a cocky smirk.

"Hi there." Asami smiled, as she now got to dig into her vast supply of bad pick-up lines. "So... Is it hot in here, or is it just you?"

This made her laugh. "That would be me, is my best guess. You, on the other hand, are also a good contender."

"Hmm, smooth," Asami complimented, as she felt her gaze over the tattoos on her arm. "I'm Asami."

-"Korra," she replied. "So what brings you here?"

"My friend, who is currently wingmanning for me." She nodded to Opal, who was in a very animated conversation with the muscular guy.

Korra smiled. "You know, that typically works best when you don't tell the primary target."

At this, Asami simply shrugged. "Meh, you seem like the no-nonsense type of girl. Figured I'd try a no-nonsense approach."

-"Like your thinking," she said with a 'fair enough'-pout on her lips. She looked over to her friend, and a smile grew on her face. "One question though: why are you saying she's wingmanning for you, when she is also getting the long end of this deal?"

Asami looked over, seeing that Opal already had her tongue down his throat. "Damn, that just cost me ten bucks."

Korra chuckled. "What, you bet that you got to get some action before she would?"

"Nope, bet that your buddy was gay." She took a drag of her cigarette to wash away the taste of the loss.

-"Well, he is. Kind of. He's bi. Unlike me, I'm actually 100 percent batting for the home team." She traced her finger over the barbed wire on Asami's arm. "As for you, I haven't decided what to make of you."

Asami smiled, as another bad pun popped into her head. "If you'll let me, I can make it out pretty clear," she smirked. Korra smiled too, and pulled herself up by Asami's neck, pressing their lips together.

The kiss was sloppy and messy, and Asami really couldn't give a fuck. Korra tasted good, same hint of cigarettes she knew there was on her own breath. Made sense really, she was nearly through with her cigarette. Also, to make it even better, Korra appeared to have her tongue pierced. She broke away, and Asami too their moment of silence to take a drag.

Korra used it to light one of her own, taking a single drag from it before moving back a bit, eyeing Asami up with a smirk. "Tell me something: are you here for the cheap drinks, the good laughs, or the easy sex?"

Asami smiled. "All three." Before she really knew what was going on, she was being led to a hallway in the back, only this time it was Korra dragging her by the wrist instead of Opal. The tan woman pushed Asami against the wall, hungrily smashing their lips together. Asami surrendered herself completely, because the way Korra took control of the kiss was great.

She slipped her tongue inside Asami's mouth, wrestling for dominance even inside of her, only Korra lost that fight. The taller woman lifted Korra by her legs, who had only one arm free to stabilize herself on Asami's neck, as she had to use the other one to hold on to her cigarette. The kiss deepened further, mostly because Asami made sure their faces were level, and neither want to break apart for the world.

That was, until they were rudely interrupted by a couple of boys wolf whistling at them.

-"Hey!" Korra shouted. "Don't you have internet?"

-"Live is always better," one of them sarcastically replied.

"Then watching is as close as you're going to get," Asami added, before Korra dragged her away to the exit into the alley.

The alley was kind of gross, as it was being used for trash. The dumpsters and trash cans were right there, but right now, neither one of them cared, as they were preoccupied with the other.

This time around, it was Asami who pushed Korra against the wall, letting her hand slither underneath the tanned woman's top, and it did not disappoint. Korra's abs were rock-hard, and even without seeing, Asami could feel their definition. What's more, she could even feel that she appeared to have her belly button pierced as well.

"How many of these do you have?" Asami panted, already shot of breath due to their intense make-out session.

-"Plenty to go around," Korra smirked back, before she leaned in to nibble on Asami's earlobe. "And I'll get you to kiss all of them tonight..."

After this, Asami decided to lay them both down on the ground, propping Korra's head up against the dumpster. She pushed the tank top up, revealing that she had been right in her assumption that Korra had abs. She also discovered that Korra had no bra on, that's at least one thing they have in common, and that both of her nipples were pierced as well. This meant that Korra's own prediction would probably come true.

Asami leaned in, letting one hand rest against the dumpster, and the other hand playing with Korra's boob. She ducked her head down to the other one, taking a nipple in her mouth. She gently sucked on the nub, making Korra moan loud, which sent a thrill through Asami. It was nice to know that even after three years of being with a guy, she hadn't lost her touch when it came to women.

-"Hmm..." Korra moaned. "Time to see what you're packin'." She quickly stuck her cigarette between her lips, that she was miraculously enough still smoking, and reached down to rip Asami's top open. All the buttons she had done up flew off, but right now, she didn't care. That was the risk Opal took by lending her clothes while on a mission to get laid.

Asami smiled and took the cigarette out of Korra's mouth, taking a drag herself. "And what makes you think I'd let you play before I have a chance to finish what I started?" she smirked, blowing out the smoke while she was at it.

-"Then finish it, before I get impatient," Korra smirked back, cupping a feel of Asami's lower lips. "And it looks like you're already getting wet..."

Even though Asami hated to admit it, Korra was right. She wouldn't be able to keep this up for very much longer before the craving between her thighs would become too much to bare.

With little trouble, Asami slipped the tanned woman out of her skirt, but for some reason, her string was still struggling. Eventually, Asami had enough, and just ripped them open at the thigh, before spreading Korra's legs in what nearly amounted to a full split.

Propping her hand up against the dumpster again, Asami put a bit of distance between them, and what she saw put a slight smile on her face. Korra's body was covered with a sheen of sweat, some of which had already started to coalesce into beads. Asami could only imagine that her own body would look much the same way, given how hot she was feeling.

Maneuvering her fingers through Korra's lower lips was very easy, and she was pleased to find that her hood was also pierced. Because of how wet the tan girl was, Asami easily slipped in three fingers, and started pumping up and down very gently.

Despite getting a few moans out of Korra, Asami sensed this wasn't the limit to what she could do. "You want more?"

-"Fuck yes..." Korra panted in return, and the pale woman responded in kind. She slipped in a fourth finger, which made the experience even tighter. "More..." Korra was practically begging at this point, desperate for Asami to finish her off.

"More?" Asami asked, not sure what to make of that. "Korra, that would be my entire hand!"

-"I know... I can take it."

Hesitantly, Asami pulled her fingers back a little bit, before adding her thumb to the mix as well. She was now fisting Korra, and it felt _good_. Feeling all that warmth surrounding her, all the way up to her wrist, it was a completely new experience. And it worked for Korra too, because despite Asami being unable to move her hand a lot, the tanned woman was squirming all over the place. She bucked her hips every time Asami twitched her thumb, and it eventually made her scream. However, whenever she wasn't screaming, she had a dirty, dirty smile on her face, probably meaning that she was enjoying it more than she should.

-"FUCK! Oh Asami...That feels _amazing..._ I think... I'm gonna..." She never got to finish her sentence, as her hips bucked one final time, this time long and high. Fortunately, there wasn't a loud scream, but instead a silent one.

As Korra let herself fall back onto the ground, Asami decided to try and complete Korra's challenge, and slid down a bit as well, rubbing her knees on the rough concrete. She leaned down, pressing a single kiss on the hood piercing. "You know, I think this means you owe me one as well."

The tanned woman took the last drag of her cigarette before killing the butt on the ground. "Really? I don't recall making that promise." Her smile grew. "But not to worry, I can be very generous." She quickly flipped their positions, only Asami was lying flat on the ground, not against the dumpster. "Besides, I know better ways of getting you off than my hands."

Korra dove in, taking Asami nipple between her fingers, while peppering her neck with kisses. At the precise moment she squeezed with her fingers, Korra also bit down on her pulse point, making her squirm even more than she already was. It was exactly what she was after right now, because nothing seemed to be very important, nothing besides the woman on top of her.

Asami almost didn't notice how Korra was already slipping a hand down to the hem of her pants, undoing the belt and button with ease. Because Asami didn't struggle, the tanned woman was able to slip them off, even though that was a big word. In the rush, she only took them off of one leg, and the pants dangled somewhere around Asami's ankle before they both thought 'that'll do'."

Korra lifted both of Asami's legs onto her shoulders, burying her face between the pale woman's legs. Korra contently hummed, sending a wave of pleasure through Asami, who moaned loudly. Rocking back and forth was slightly painful against the rough concrete, but Asami didn't really care. All she wanted was to feel more of Korra's mouth against her, so she put one hand on the back of her head, pushing her harder into her lower lips.

"Oh, God that's GOOD!" Asami yelled, amazed by how good Korra's tongue felt flicking her clit. The shorter woman was eating her out with a vigor and a passion, determined to see the job at hand through: making Asami reach her climax as hard as she could. Fortunately, Korra was good at it, well-versed in the art of eating out.

She used her fingers for extra stimulation, slipping two inside Asami, making her moan only louder. The tension in her hips was building, and it wouldn't be long before her orgasm would actually hit. Not that she cared very much, this wasn't about who could hold out the longest, this was about making sure she could still feel it, and Korra was proving that Asami still could.

With Korra's fingers making the 'come hither'-motion against a very sensitive spot and her teeth nipping at her clit, Asami's walls broke. A flood of warmth and ecstasy washed over her, during which she screamed out in pleasure, not caring if anyone inside could hear her.

It felt wonderful, because not only was it more intense than it had been with Mako for a _long_ time, but also because Korra just kept going. She kissed her way back up Asami's belly, but kept her fingers inside of Asami, continuing their assault on her senses.

Ultimately though, that wasn't meant to be. Asami pushed Korra's hand away, trying to catch her breath from her first orgasm. "Stop..." she panted, unsure what else to say. "I think I should be taking things one step at a time..." Asami pushed herself up, leaning against the wall. Right now, she was _dying_ for a smoke, so she reached over to the box that had been casually thrown on the ground earlier, and lit one up.

Korra was lying flat on her belly, and propped her head up on her arms. "That's actually a pretty good idea," she smirked, and moved in for a smoke as well.

With a content sigh, Korra sat next to Asami, leaning in for a light. They sat in a companionable silence for a while, simply smoking their cigarettes in their post-coital bliss. Fortunately, Asami's hot pants were still within reach, so she pulled them back on, only to discover that all the buttons from her (Opal's) top were ripped off, save for the bottom one.

This sigh was more in annoyance, but Asami buttoned it closed anyway, leaving a massive cleavage.

Korra looked down as well, a sheepish smile on her face. "Sorry about that."

"No you're not."

-"You're right, I'm not." She reached over for her own skirt, slipping it back on, before adjusting her top again. "But then again, I won't feel very guilty about it, considering that I have to go home with less clothes than I left with too."

Asami thought for a moment, before nodding. "Yeah, okay, I can agree to that."

Korra chuckled. "You have another reason for just going to a bar and fucking a stranger, and you haven't told me. Care to, or should I just leave, feeling content that I literally fucked someone in the trash?"

This made Asami laugh. "Well, no, my roommate convinced me to come with her to get over my ex. Caught him cheating a few weeks back."

-"Ah. Did it work?"

She chuckled. "Well, yeah, I feel very good right about now." It briefly fell silent again, during which both women took a drag of their respective cigarettes. "Now what?"

-"Now we go home, have a shower, and you phone your ex that you let a girl fuck your brains out."

"Sounds like a plan." Asami stood up, closed her belt, collected her stuff (somehow her phone had ended up on the wrong side of the alley), and pulled Korra to her feet as well. They walked back into the bar, hand in hand, but already ran into Opal in a hallway with a black light, and it made Asami smile.

-"Did it work?" Opal asked, sounding curious.

"Did what work?"

-"Don't play dumb with me, Asami. You have sex hair," Opal smirked.

"And you have cum on your dress," Asami countered, pointing at the glowing spot right above Opal's left boob. She looked down, and furiously started blushing, something Asami could see, even in the dark. She also slapped her hand over the spot, trying to mask it. "I won't say anything if you won't," Asami offered.

-"Fine, let's just go home," she replied, quickly making her way to the exit.

Asami turned to Korra, probably for the last time. "Thanks, Korra. It was good fun."

Korra nodded. "Yes it was. Want one for on the road?"

"One what?"

Before she really knew what was happening, Asami felt Korra's lips pressing against hers, pulling her in for one final kiss. Because it would be the last one, Asami decided to make it count, stretching it out until she had to break away for air. "Good luck, 'Sami."

"You too, Korra." And with that, she was off to her taxi, back home with Opal.

The following morning, Asami woke up with a splitting headache, and feeling like death in general. It had been a while since she had been out like that, and judging by her current attire of nothing (save for one sock), not something she'd be repeating. Fortunately, drunk-Asami had had the sense to close the curtains of her room, and now hung over-Asami was forced to look for the nuisance that had woken her up.

It turned out to be her phone, which was on her nightstand. Someone had set the alarm, and the first thing Asami did was make a mental note to kill that person, until she actually saw the message attached to it.

" _Figured 10 am is late enough. Had fun last night. xxx Korra. PS. if you want more fun, my number is 555 832 9034._ "

Asami smiled, and suddenly her hangover didn't seem so bad anymore.

* * *

 _I wrote this after coming across KrashZone's version of Korrasami. Google at your own risk. ;-)_


	5. The Mistake

It wasn't really regret you are feeling.

For you, the sentiment is hard to put into words, really. It was your own stupid fault, at least, up to a certain point. In fact, you could very accurately pinpoint that, right down to the very last pixel.

It's kind of like tattooing a lover's name onto your skin. Stupid, but in the heat of the moment, it feels romantic, like you're going to be together forever, and that it's safe to do something like that.

What you weren't counting on was that after their break-up, Mako would be a total dick, and send the message to everyone he had in his contacts.

Right now though, everyone is gaping after you, and every time you have to go to school, you feel like sinking through the floor. No matter what class you go to, pretty much everyone had gotten the pictures, either directly or indirectly from Mako.

Some people stand with you though. Tell you that they thought he was a total dick for sending those pictures to everyone.

Doesn't help you a lot. Sure, the sentiment was nice, but you are also fairly certain that half of the people who have given you their sympathies would be masturbating to those very same pictures later that night.

It are nudes of yourself.

You had let yourself get pressured into sending them, and it was difficult to recall why. At first, you had taken the safe approach, making sure that the angle you chose didn't include your face.

Wasn't enough for Mako, though. He insisted that the pictures you sent would be a million times hotter if you would just put your face on the picture too, making sure they weren't just some pictures from the internet.

And like a fool, you listened to him, and now you are paying the price.

Truth be told, you suspect he was already with that slut from AP Physics when he asked for those pictures, even though you didn't know that at the time. It wasn't the slut you want to vent your rage onto directly, though she certainly was a good contender.

It's mostly yourself that you blame. For being so damn gullible, and let his charm be enough to talk you into doing something this stupid.

-"Hey! Nice tits!" someone yelled, and the only choice you really have is to stubbornly ignore him.

You make your way over to a quiet corner of the school, somewhere you know people aren't going to bother you. A sly remark when someone shared a class with you, staring after you in the hallways, all part of your own stupid mistake.

Realistically, lunch was the only time you could get some peace of mind, in you own little corner on the third floor. Your friends aren't much help either, since they tended to hang out in a busy corner of the school.

-"Hey there," a cautious voice comes from behind you. You look up, and much to your surprise, it was the slut from AP Physics. "You're Korra, right?"

"If you're here to make fun of me, I swear to God, I will beat into the fucking emergency room."

-"I'm not here for that," she calmly replied. "I dumped Mako, thought you should know. If he thinks this is an acceptable way to treat people, I don't want to have anything to do with him."

At this, you're surprised. "You really did that?"

-"Of course. I mean, I don't know you, but I figured you could use a little bit of cheering up, or maybe just company that isn't out to mock you."

You smile at her kindness. "Thank you." You move up a little bit, creating a bit of space for her to sit down in. "Never caught your name."

-"I'm Asami."

* * *

 _I know it's short, but I wrote it as a warning to everyone thinking about sending nudes to others. If you're under 18, even if you do it yourself, sending them is creating and distributing child pornography, which is a felony in virtually every country on earth. If you only send the ones you got out, you're still a felon, not to mention a bastard._

 _Primarily, I think people shouldn't be sending nudes, but that's just my opinion. However, even disregarding my thoughts on the subject, it is a **terrible** idea to send nudes that include your face. Doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman, if you think it's romantic to do this, make sure to at least exclude everything from the neck up._


	6. For Those About To Rock

_This is the first of the prompted stories I gave out, with the idea for this one coming from Tono555: "Korra is an extreme introvert, and Asami is the opposite. They meet at a concert (or event) and hijinks ensue." I took it liberally, but it sticks to the prompt close enough._

* * *

-"Mom, this is totally unfair! I already paid for the tickets!" Jinora yelled in anger.

-"Exactly, 'tickets' being the operative form there. It's one thing to let you go to that ridiculous concert, it's another thing entirely to let you go unsupervised. You already have the second ticket, so you can take someone else with you."

 _Please don't say 'take Korra with you'._ Korra thought. She could easily hear the argument going on in the other room, in spite of the closed door. Apparently, Jinora had bought tickets to a Fire Ferrets concert without asking for her parents' approval.

-"You can ask Korra to go with you, or I go with you."

 _Fuck._

-"That second ticket is meant for Shae, not for a babysitter! Come on, we've been looking forward to this for months!"

 _Please say that Shae can go instead..._ Korra sighed, she wasn't kidding anyone. No way in hell would Pema let Shae go by way of supervisor for her oldest daughter.

-"Korra or me. Make your choice."

Jinora sighed so loud that Korra could hear it from the other room. "Fine. I'll ask her." After this, she stepped out into the living room again, where she met her adopted sister with an annoyed expression on her face.

"No."

-"I haven't even asked you anything!" Jinora protested.

"You were going to ask me to go with you to the concert, don't bother denying it, I think the neighbors can give you a fairly accurate transcript of what you two were arguing about."

Jinora sighed again. "Please? I really want to go, and I really _don't_ want to go with Mom. Come on, it'll be fun! A girls' night out!"

Korra had to resist the urge to sigh herself. While she thought the music the Fire Ferrets made was okay (a few original songs, but a lot of them were covers,) the idea of going to a concert was, well, not. She liked the comfort of her room, her house, and basically anything that meant the only company she had consisted of her thoughts, maybe Naga at a pinch. Cramming herself into an overcrowded baseball stadium with 50.000 sweaty people and a 14-year old in tow met none of those requirements. "I don't know, Jinora, you know how I feel about going out."

After this, Jinora put up here biggest brown puppy dog eyes, eyes that virtually no one was able to resist. "Pleeeeaaaasssseee?"

This time, Korra actually sighed. "Fine, I'll think about it. When is it?"

-"Saturday night, first show here in Frisco." Suddenly, Jinora's expression took a turn for the sour. "Right, time for me to break my friend's heart. Wish me luck, and think about it good." With this, she ran off to her own room, and Pema joined Korra on the couch in front of the television.

-"You know, it might not be the worst idea for you either to go out there some time. You spend an awful lot of time here at home, you only leave for classes, and that's about it. I'm worried about you, Korra. The whole reason your parents sent you down here from Alaska was to fix your depression."

Korra pinched her nose. "Look, I just like being on my own, okay?"

-"I know, but you are taking it to the extreme." Pema paused for a moment. "Do this, for Jinora. It might sound mean for me to do this, but I really meant it when I said that I don't want her to go unsupervised. That being said, I also know this isn't the kind of thing you take your mother to as a teenager. Older sister, maybe, but mother, no way."

Hearing Pema say this made Korra bubble up inside. She had been sent down here by her parents when she was 15, because she was severely depressed. Now though, she was feeling much better, but whether or not she truly belonged was something she was still on the fence about.

Until now. Hearing Pema say 'older sister' meant that she kind of considered her to be a real daughter, not just an adopted little pet.

-"I'll pay for your ticket, and you can use my car," the mother ultimately offered when Korra stayed silent for a while.

"Alright, _fine_ , I'll go."

Pema smiled. "Good. Go tell Jinora, you'll make her day."

Korra climbed the stairs to her sister's room, where she could hear the tail end of a phone conversation through the door.

-"No sweetie, it wasn't my call. I don't like it, but I don't see how we can fix this another way."

When Korra knocked, it instantly went silent, meaning that Jinora probably switched to a whisper. The younger girl cautiously opened the door, seeing Korra there with a smirk on her face. "I'm in," she said, and before she knew it, Jinora had her enveloped in a tight hug. "Thanks, Kor, you rock. Not as much as the Fire Ferrets, but no one does."

Korra chuckled. "That's okay. Just one thing: next time you call your secret boyfriend, make sure to keep your voice down."

At this, Jinora went bright red and immediately pulled back, stammering all kinds of unintelligible sounds. "Wha.. How... You..."

"Your voice carries through the door, and you don't call Shae 'sweetie'."

Jinora quickly slammed the door shut behind them. "Alright, just... Just don't tell Mom and Dad, okay?"

"Of course not, I'm gonna use this to blackmail you," Korra smirked. "Anyway, Saturday night, girls' night out, as you put it." With that, she turned around and made for her own room, preparing to massacre some noobs on the fields of Verdun in Battlefield 1.

Even though Saturday was not something she was looking forward to in particular, she was kind of nervous when they were about to leave. Jinora had made herself entirely ready, and even though Tenzin and Pema wouldn't let her go out in make-up just as heavy as the lead singer, she did dye her hair the same shade of black, namely jet black. She was also wearing a Fire Ferrets T-shirt, fully demonstrating her level of fangirling. (It was a shirt of a Fire Ferret eating noodles with chopsticks, super cute.)

Meanwhile, Korra had barely bothered to dress herself, as all she had was a pair of baggy jeans and an old blue SFSU hoodie, and she had simply done her hair up in the simple three wolf-tails style that she normally wore it in.

-"Is that really all the effort that you're going to put in?" Jinora asked with an incredulous expression on her face.

"I'm the chaperone, not the fan. I'm doing this for you, Jinny."

Pema came walking out, shaking her head at her daughter's appearance. "Well, you girls have fun tonight, and if it's at all possible, don't come home too late."

Korra smiled while taking the car keys from Pema's outstretched hand. "We'll try, Pema, thanks."

They, along with seemingly most of the San Francisco Bay Area, made their way to the AT&T Park, where Korra managed to find a parking space, miraculously enough. Getting into the park itself was even more troublesome, as Jinora insisted that they had field tickets, which was true, but then again, everyone wanted to be on the field.

Somehow, they managed to get through the strict security and onto the pitch, elbowing their way forward. This was the part that Korra resented most. Jinora kept on yelling "Pregnant lady, coming through!" as if that would help them. Being 14, Jinora was quite short for her age, and she really should have a place somewhere in the front.

Ultimately, they managed to get some solid ground next to each other on what the could consider the third row, _which, and let's be honest here, is fucking amazing with all these people here._

During the opening bands, Korra realized more and more just how much she hated being here. Even though Jinora had recommended they wear earplugs, the music was too loud for comfort, the people that were brushing up against here were warm and clammy, _fairly certain that dude behind you is nursing a semi from it,_ and all in all, Korra just wanted it to be over so they could go home.

Then out of nowhere, the lights went out completely, bathing the entire park in darkness.

-"Good evening, San Francisco!" a woman's voice bellowed through the speakers, before a single spot came on under the sound of the guitar intro of Sweet Child O' Mine, illuminating the guitarist in deep concentration. Then when the drummer joined the fray, the entire stage was illuminated, revealing the band in full.

The guitarist was tall and rather slender, and Korra had to admit, _very_ handsome. The bassist was a little shorter and stubbier, and also appeared to be more muscular than the guitarist. The drummer seemed to be a bit lankier again, but he had let his hair grow well over his ears, and a neatly trimmed goatee.

But the one who really stole Korra's attention was the singer, because _holy mother of God, looking that good should be illegal._ Somehow, she had managed to squeeze those seemingly mile-long legs into a pair of impossibly skinny jeans, while the rest was in a simple black and red tank top, though she had the modesty _not_ to pick one from the Fire Ferrets itself.

Towering above all that, was her face, which completely entranced Korra, because she was simply beautiful. Suddenly, Jinora's desire to look like her with the make-up and jet black hair didn't seem so far-fetched anymore.

All of this was only compounded when she looked down to Korra, straight in the eyes, and winked, a sly smirk on her face. She couldn't do anything other than bashfully look away to her little sister, who was already singing along with her.

Even though Korra didn't really care for all the people there with her, the concert wasn't _as_ bad as she thought it would be. The volume was set at a slightly less deafening level as the night went on, making it more bearable. Also, _and not to sound paranoid here **but**_ Korra could swear that at multiple times during the show, she locked eyes with the singer, and beautiful eyes at that. A very deep, emerald green, the kind that you can just get lost in...

She practically had to slap herself out of it and convince herself that it was all in her head. However, something that definitely _wasn't_ in her head was the way she moved those hips, accentuated by those damn skinny jeans...

 _Here we go again._

Korra sighed, as she finally realized that coming here tonight might not have been as bad an idea as she would have originally thought.

After the concert had ended, Korra and Jinora were making their way back to one of the cafés for a soda, mostly because Korra didn't want to get caught in the traffic the exodus would bring with it. She figured that if she stalled for about ten minutes, the traffic would be much, much quieter.

-"Oh my God, that was _so awesome_!" Jinora exclaimed. "And Mako and Bolin, they were even dreamier than I imagined them to be! And Wan, man, could that guy drum!"

Korra just let her rant on for, seeing how stopping her would be almost pointless. Instead, she just smiled and nodded, making sure to keep her little sister happy. _It's amazing what a few well-placed 'uh-huh's and 'oh yes's can achieve._

Their target was in sight: a small place that looked relatively quiet, but they wouldn't make it.

-"Hey, you there! Blue hoodie!"

Korra looked around, ultimately locking eyes with the bassist of the Fire Ferrets. She pointed at her own chest, as if to ask 'me?', which worked, apparently.

-"Yeah, you!" He worked his way through the crowd, ignoring all requests for autographs. It wasn't until he was very close that Jinora could spot through the crowd who was calling for them.

-"Oh - my - God - ohmyGodohmyGodohmyGod!" she squealed, almost unable to believe that it was actually one of the band members talking to them.

He held out his hand when he was close enough, a huge goofy smile on his face. He didn't seem to come across as either distant or unapproachable though, more like he was perfectly comfortable with who he was. "Hi there, name's Bolin."

"I'm Korra," she replied, before pointing to Jinora, "and she's very excited." The younger girl was almost unable to keep her nerves at bay with Bolin so close.

-"Alright, Korra and Very Excited, have you got a minute? Band would like to talk to you."

-"Canwegocanwegocanwego?!" Jinora squealed even louder, unable to keep her excitement in.

Korra just laughed. "Sure, though try and keep it down, you're acting like Ikki." They followed Bolin back to the field, wondering what was going to happen. He led them through the catacombs of AT&T Park, ultimately stopping before an unassuming door. "Well, meet the band," he said, throwing the door open.

Inside were the other three band members, all relaxing in various positions in the lounge.

Jinora almost fainted at the sight of them, something which put a smile on the lead singer's face. She was sitting in a lazy chair, a towel in her neck, feet comfortably propped up on the coffee table, sipping a beer. "Hmm, I chose well tonight. What's your name?"

"I'm Korra, this is Jinora."

She nodded and smiled. "Well, you've met Bolin. I'm Asami, that's Wan," she said, gesturing to the drummer, "and that's Bolin's brother, Stick," Asami finished, gesturing to the guitarist.

-"Asami, can you please drop the nickname? I've been asking you to do that since high school."

-"The stick is still there, though let's not go into details in front of the kids." Asami clapped her hands, standing up out of her chair. "Boys, would you all be angels and show Jinora around?"

The mumbled a few affirmative things, and when they said something about autographs, well, Jinora went completely goo-goo.

-"Easy one to please, isn't she?"

"Depends. If you're you, yes, if you're me, no."

It fell silent, which was kind of awkward. Not that Asami seemed to bothered about it, she was still eyeing Korra up.

-"Alright, you have questions." _No shit._ "Shoot."

Korra shook her head. "Just one, really. Why am I here? 50.000 people in the stadium and you managed to pick the only one who is _at best_ moderately enthusiastic about this whole thing."

At this, Asami raised an eyebrow. "You spent 50 dollars on a concert you don't care about?"

"I was bribed into chaperoning, and you're avoiding my question."

Asami just smiled. "You're my good luck-charm. Always try to find one in the audience, and you stood out tonight." She chuckled. "Normally, I give them a poster with an autograph, but you're not like the typical star-struck idiots I normally pick."

Korra chuckled too. "Yeah, that would be Jinora. I'll take a poster for her, though."

She looked impressed while she walked over to the table with a marker and poster in her hand. "That's very altruistic of you. What are you to her?"

"Older sister. And no, I'm not from Pedro the Mexican gardener, I'm adopted."

-"I wasn't making any assumptions."

"Yes, you were."

-"Alright, maybe a few."

Asami was done with the poster, rolled it up, and wrapped an elastic band around it. "You know, you could have just asked me for a T-shirt with an autograph and put it on eBay."

"Don't care about 50 bucks that would make me, too much trouble. If you die from a heroin overdose, I'll try again, the value might be enough to pay off some student loans." _Gee. Subtle._ Since Asami didn't say anything, Korra kind of assumed they were done and made for the door.

-"You have some serious misgivings about me, don't you?"

Korra stopped in her tracks. "You have a cog tattooed on the base of your thumb and flames on your lower arm, neither of which indicate much good. I'll admit, you have a pretty good singing voice, but if we're really honest here, the only difference between you and me is that you had a lucky break."

Asami only smiled at her bluntness, even though Korra was kind of expecting her to call security and throw her out. "How old are you, Korra?"

"I'm 21."

-"Do you have a job?" the singer asked.

"Excuse me?"

-"A job, do you have one?"

"No, why?"

-"Would you like one?"

This had Korra struck dumb. "Work? For you?"

-"I need a roadie," Asami shrugged. "Someone to help set up gigs, yell at techies who fuck up, that kind of thing. And you just demonstrated that you're not likely to take shit from anyone, so you might just be a very good candidate."

Korra honestly didn't know what to say. Most people would practically pounce at an opportunity like that. "Are you being serious here? I just called you a junkie and instead of throwing me out, you offer me a job?"

-"Sure, why not? I want someone who's not afraid to say it like they see it." Asami stood up from the chair she was leaning against. "Ooh, that reminds me... Kuvira! Get in here!"

After a few moments, a woman stuck her head around the door. "Yes?"

-"You're fired."

Unsurprisingly, she was totally flabbergasted. "What?"

-"I said 'you're fired'," Asami repeated. "There's the door," she gestured, and with a dazed expression on her face, Kuvira left. "Looks like there's an opening," Asami smirked to Korra.

"You fired her just like that?"

-"She wasn't doing her job. We had her with us in Seattle, Portland, and Sacramento, and every time I had to do most of the work myself. So what do you say? Job's yours if you want it."

"I... I can't just quit college for this. I want to finish my study."

-"And you can. You take a sabbatical for a few months, and when you're done, you'll have more than enough money to pay off your student loans. I'll even write you a letter of recommendation if you want one."

"Not sure how much the word of a musician is gonna be worth for someone looking for work in Political Science."

At this, Asami burst out laughing. "You're a PoliSci major?" Korra nodded, suddenly having the sinking feeling that she was going to be the target of a lot of bad puns. "Yeah, you can take a few months off, they won't miss you." To say that her tone was condescending would be an understatement.

"I'll think about it," Korra said, trying to get out of this conversation.

Asami nodded. "Fair enough, but you better think quickly. We leave Tuesday morning, but I want my answer on Monday."

"Okay. Can I go now?"

-"Sure, I don't have a gun to your head. I'll help you find your sister."

It wasn't long before they spotted the group, with Stick playing some tunes for them on the guitar, and Jinora giddy as a schoolgirl. _Makes sense really, since she IS a schoolgirl._

"Come on, Jinny, time to go."

-"Do we have to? These guys are really cool!"

"I'm sure they are, but we already stayed longer than we were supposed and I want to go home."

-"Alright..." Jinora sulked, and she reluctantly said her goodbyes to the band. (After getting Asami to sign her Fire Ferrets shirt last of all, a complete-the-set kind of thing.)

During the car ride home, she still was able to barely get over how excited she was. "And he was _so cool_! Bolin, he told me about when they were just a garage band, and that Wan joined in... Don't really get why Asami insists on calling Mako 'Stick', though, he was pretty cool as well. Little stiff, but holy crap were we lucky! We just got to go backstage..."

Again, Korra decided it would be best to let her rant on, not in the least because Asami's offer was ringing in her head.

Even when she got home, she didn't really have a solid idea as to what she was going to do, and she wasn't any further when she woke up the next day.

She was woken up by Naga pressing her nose against her face. "GAH! Down girl! Christ, ever heard of a rude awakening? Why does your nose have to be so cold?" Naga backed off, sitting down and lowering her head.

Korra looked around the room, seeing the poster Asami gave her last night lying on her desk. Since she was already awake, she scratched Naga behind the ear a few times. "You wouldn't know what to either, would you, girl?" She barked once, and Korra smiled. "Yeah, I know." _Look at you. Asking for advice from a dog, how low can you go?_

On Monday morning, Korra had her normal classes, but unlike a normal caffeine-fueled Monday morning, she could swear this one had her hallucinating. Sitting on a wall in front of her building was Asami, though now wearing a pair of loose jeans an very big sunglasses to hide her identity.

-"Got a minute?"

"You don't give up, do you?"

-"You haven't given me an answer yet, but I figured it might be a little difficult for you to do so when you can't get past security." She pulled a card from her back pocket and handed it to Korra. "All-access pass. It'll get you backstage tonight."

"What if I just sell this in the cafeteria?"

-"Then I know you weren't serious about the offer. Short term gain, long term loss." Asami rummaged around in her backpack and pulled out a folder. "This is the contract. You travel with us in the touring car from place to place for the next four months, you get paid a fixed percentage of what each band member makes. 50 percent of what we make per concert." She let it fall silent while Korra thumbed through the contract. "Clock's ticking, Korra. If you're not there after the show, we leave without you tomorrow."

After this, Asami walked off again, and it only had Korra doubting even more. The money was a big plus, that much was certain, but it would mean leaving her home behind, the home she had worked so carefully to construct.

Coming here from Alaska was a big step for her, and her parents had had the sense to include her in the decision-making process. Part of it did really help her, since she was no longer feeling suicidal. She never truly attempted it, but at various points, she had come close. One day when her father caught her with a kitchen knife in her room, doubting about slitting her wrists or not, he decided something needed to change.

Tenzin and Pema were old family friends, and now she would have to choose between leaving them behind and going with these people she knew nothing about, or staying here in the safety of the Bay Area.

Korra went home soon after Asami left, since she didn't have any other classes anyway.

-"You've been awfully quiet, even by your standards," Pema offered up when she came into Korra's room with a cup of tea after dinner. "Is there something wrong?"

Korra smiled, grateful for the tea. _That's another thing to miss: Pema's cooking._ "Well, not really. Kinda." She sighed, letting her head hang. "I've been offered to join the tour of the Fire Ferrets as a roadie. That singer, she seems very adamant to get me on board."

Pema stared at her incredulously. "You've been offered to join a touring band, and yet you're doubting?" She sat down next to her adopted daughter on the bed. "Korra, when I was your age, I would have killed for an offer like that. Why haven't you said yes yet?"

Korra sighed. "I don't know. I think... I don't want to leave everything behind that I built up here. I love all of you, and to lose it all just like that is something I definitely _don't_ want."

-"You're in your comfort zone here, but that isn't a place you can grow. And you don't have worry about losing us, because we love you too. I know some of us had our doubts before you came to live with us, but you've become family since, and you always will be. Taking that offer does not mean you're going to forfeit us as your family. We will always be here for you."

Korra felt the tears in her eyes well up. "Do you really mean that?"

Pema smiled. "Of course I do, sweetheart." She pulled her adopted daughter into a tight hug. "Take the offer. Go beyond the city limits and see what life has to offer. If you don't like it, you can always come back."

"Thank you." Korra walked over to the desk, where she had put the contract. It was all there, everything Asami had promised, the payment, the requirements (even though those were few), and the rights she had (those were even fewer). With a sigh, she picked up a pen and signed it.

Getting into the backstage area was difficult, since the concert was still ongoing, but the combination of the contract and Asami's all-access pass was enough to get a guard to escort her to the side of the stage.

Here, Korra could see the band playing closer than anyone in the audience could, and they were pretty good. She enjoyed the view of Asami moving her hips, more than enough to satisfy her for what little remained of the show.

-"So you decided to come," the singer said with a smirk on face. "Looks like you each owe me 20 bucks, boys."

"I'm in," Korra said.

-"Great. Want a kiss to seal the deal?"

Korra playfully nudged her. "Screw you."

Asami chuckled. "That's the spirit. We leave tomorrow morning, 8 am sharp. IROH!" she called out, and a handsome man in his late thirties came walking out. "Yes?"

-"This is Korra, our new roadie. Remember her face, it would be a shame for security not to let her in tomorrow."

He smiled, shaking Korra's hand. "Will do."

With this, she turned back to Asami. "So that's it, huh?" Korra asked, handing over the contract.

-"That's it," she said with a genuine smile. She took the contract, brushing past Korra's hand as she did so. For a moment there, they stared right into each other's eyes, and the rest of the world just melted away.

In the end, Asami was the one to regain her composure first, putting her typical smirk back on her face. "See you tomorrow, Korra." She walked off, and Korra could swear she was putting a little bit more sway in her step than usual.

Because of all this, she missed that Bolin pulled his brother in close. "Bet you 100 bucks those two will have had sex together before we hit Austin."

-"You're on, Bro."

Korra was frantically packing that night, worried that she'd forget something. Pema was both very happy for Korra and very sad that her surrogate daughter would be going away from four months. Tenzin was too, but he would never show it. Jinora had gone green with envy, and while she had said Korra goodbye, she did say that it wasn't fair and that she wanted to be the one to go on tour.

Because all the kids had to go to school, Tenzin and Pema decided to drop Korra off together. Despite his calm demeanor, Korra was surprised by the fact that it was Tenzin who gave her the tightest hug, outside of AT&T Park.

-"Be careful out there, Korra," he said.

"Of course," she mumbled into his shoulder. "I'm gonna miss you, Tenzin."

Pema was next, already planning on making a big goodbye. "What he said. Have fun, but don't make it too crazy, okay?" she smiled through her tears.

"Thanks, Pema." With that, Korra was on her way to the touring car, where the band was loading up as well. She turned around one more time to wave and then focussed on the job at hand.

Iroh took her bag, carrying it inside, before Asami came walking up to her. "I know it's not exactly Ed Force One, but it does the trick. Ready for this, kid?"

Korra nodded. "Never been below the Bay, so I'm scared beyond belief, but I think so. And don't call me 'kid'. Makes you sound old."

Asami smiled and took her hand, nudging her towards the bus. "Well," Asami said, ushering Korra inside, "on to new adventures."

* * *

 _If you want to read a story like this, I recommend Scars of a Façade, a Frozen story that actually moves beyond the point I ended it here. As for this one, I'm gonna leave it here. If anyone is interested in making a full story out of this, contact me._

 _On a side note, Asami's 'arm flames' tattoo was inspired by Woods from CoD Black Ops, and the title is from the AC/DC song of the same name. That's all for now folks, take care._


	7. Soldier's Eyes - Part 2

_At last, the one many people have been waiting for: the second part of Soldier's Eyes. I will say this, this is going to be the last part for this particular line of chapters. Anyway, I still recommend that you listen to Jack Savoretti's Soldier's Eyes while you read this. Enjoy._

* * *

-"Alright, before we get started; what is this to you?" Asami asked, taking a seat opposite of Korra. They had gone to a place not too far from the VA, a place Asami knew to have actually good coffee.

Korra felt herself flush. "What do you mean?" she quickly replied, hoping that her dark skin would hide most of her blushing.

A sly smile played over Asami's lips. "Look, if you want this to be a date, that's fine, just tell me. I can be persuaded to date on the other side of the fence."

Her blush quickly turned into a smile. "I... hadn't really made up my mind about that yet. Sort of thought that we could figure it out as we went along. I'm a fan of the 'throw it at the wall and hope it sticks'-approach to things."

Asami laughed at this. "Okay. Then it's a date."

One date quickly turned into more. Korra had a lot of respect for Asami's independence and altruistic spirit, in spite of working at her father's company. At first, this seemed kind of hopeless to the veteran, just another daddy's girl with no talent, only having her position because of her lineage and/or looks. Fortunately, she was quickly proven wrong when she discovered that Asami was actually as brilliant as she is beautiful.

Even though their first date was only a quick coffee, Korra was the one to arrange the second date, and she instantly regretted going to a pizza joint. On the outside, it looked okay, but the inside proved otherwise.

"How the hell can you fuck up pizza?" Korra asked out loud, though not loud enough for the staff to hear them.

Asami chuckled. "What is it that they say? Pizza is like sex; when it's good, it's really good, and when it's bad, it's still pretty good."

"Pizza is more like sex for us than for most people: always makes a giant mess, it's best when you're eating out, and if it's really good, you can't move when you're done."

Asami laughed again, though Korra could also swear there was something of a blush on her face. "Say... How much can you still, you know, feel... _down there_?"

Now it was Korra's turn to smile at Asami's bashfulness. "Everything. The damage is in my legs, not in my spine. It's a miracle they didn't have to be cut off." Even though the opportunity was right there, she decided not to push the issue any further, at least, not for now.

That being said, they ended the evening at a Thai place around the corner, and when Asami leaned in to kiss her at the end of the meal, Korra knew she'd have plenty of opportunities to explore.

Turns out, she didn't have to wait very long. When Korra confessed on their fourth date that she hadn't been 'intimate' with someone since she came back from Afghanistan two years ago, Asami promptly decided that needed to change. They went back to Asami's flat, which was tasteful place, not at all like what Korra was expecting from her, given her status.

Korra managed to wheel herself around the apartment, quickly making her way onto Asami's bed, where it didn't take long for the taller woman to straddle her. Shedding their mutual tops wasn't a problem, really. Korra was confident enough to know that she kept up her upper body strength as much as she could, and that the result of that was sculpted, to say the least. There were a few scars but it wasn't until Asami was tugging at the hem of her pants that she started getting nervous.

"Asami... Wait."

-"What is it?"

Korra sighed, not looking forward to this. "It's just... the IED I hit did a lot of damage, and... there are scars. Most of them are on my legs."

At this, Asami smiled. "Korra, I know I can expect that when I'm dating a veteran. I promise you, I won't be disgusted." A soft hand cupped Korra's cheek, guiding them to see eye-to-eye. "Don't worry about what I might be thinking, just focus on what you can be feeling."

With a deep breath, she conceded. "Okay," she ultimately said.

Asami kept her word, and made Korra scream in pleasure that night.

Over the course of the next few months, things went well. Korra got to meet Asami's father and vice versa, both of which went fine. For once, Korra thought that she might be leaving everything that had happened to her behind.

That just wasn't meant to be.

-"Korra, I'm home!" Asami's voice typically was what could really calm her down, but it wasn't doing anything for Korra now. "Korra?" Asami's voice betrayed that she was searching, and also that she was worried.

When she stepped into the bathroom, Asami immediately saw that everything had gone to hell.

Korra was sitting on the floor of the shower, fully clothed and under the running water. What's more, she was shivering from the cold, which was simply because she hadn't bothered with hot water.

-"Jesus Christ..." Asami swore, trying to take in the scene before her. Before saying anything else, Asami took off her boots, and sat down next to her girlfriend, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. Right now, it didn't matter that she was still dressed as well. It was obvious that Korra needed support right now. "Korra, what happened?"

Korra began to cry. She couldn't help it, but she began to sob uncontrollably, clinging on to her girlfriend's shoulder as if it were a lifeline. It took a long time for her to calm down at all. "I just got word... It's Kai. He was a buddy of mine in Helmand, and he went back for another tour. Today, I got a message that he's KIA."

-"Oh God..." Asami gasped, and tightened her grip around her girlfriend. "Korra, I'm so sorry."

"He was a good kid, Asami," Korra snickered. "He didn't deserve this."

-"No one does," she replied. They sat in their silence for a little while longer, until Korra had calmed down a little more. "Are you cold?" Asami ultimately asked. Korra didn't say anything, but she nodded, and now it was time to take action.

She cautiously undressed her girlfriend, but Korra didn't offer up any resistance. Asami carried her to the bed, taking a bunch of towels with her to dry both of them off. In the end, they laid on the bed, face-to-face, bodies close together. Normally, Korra was the one to keep Asami warm, but for once, it was the other way around.

"'Sami?" Korra hesitantly began, because she knew this wasn't going to be pretty.

-"Yes?"

"Why are you with me?"

Asami was surprised at this. "What do you mean?"

Korra shrugged. "You're beautiful, and smart, and kind, and yet you're with me, some broken asshole who can't even get over a doorstep or take a fucking phone call without breaking down."

-"Oh, Korra..." Asami muttered, pressing a kiss on top of her girlfriend's hair. "I'm with you because you are an amazing person, and you're kind, and sweet, and you're so, so brave. You have been through so much, and you didn't let any of that beat you down."

At this, Korra sighed. "But you could easily do so much better, find someone who doesn't need help getting something from the fourth shelf in the supermarket."

The engineer responded by pressing a sweet kiss on her lips. "Korra, I don't care about the wheelchair, and I never did. You are someone that goes the extra mile, no matter who it's for. I love that about you." She briefly fell silent. "I love _you_ , Korra."

Korra looked up. "You mean that?"

-"Of course I do."

The veteran leaned in, pressing a kiss on her girlfriend's lips. "Love you too, 'Sami."

A few weeks later, Korra was quietly reading a book in her apartment. It was raining cats and dogs outside, but somehow, this really calmed her down. She liked the uneven sound of the tapping against the skylight, and when she rolled her wheelchair underneath it, it always made her feel untouchable.

This all changed when Asami came in. "Hey, babe," Korra said, smiling as she saw that even her extremely poised girlfriend could be turned into a disheveled mess by the rain.

-"Hey," she disinterestedly mumbled back, before hanging her still wet umbrella on the coat rack, walking over to the sink, putting her purse in it, and then go splash down on the couch while she was still wearing her coat.

Korra put down her book, and wheeled herself over to her girlfriend. "Are you alright? Actually, don't answer that, because I know you're not."

Asami sighed. "I'm struggling, Korra. If I tell don't you about what's bothering me, I'm a lousy girlfriend. If I do tell you about what's bothering me, I'm putting you at risk, and I don't want that either. The proverbial rock and a hard place."

The veteran thought for a moment. "How big can the risk be? You work for a technology corporation, not the mafia."

-"Yeah, I suppose that's true," Asami chuckled, before her expression turned more serious. "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Pretty sure."

-"Okay, here it goes. We've had a breakthrough in the research I've been doing, namely that we finally managed to directly hook up a machine to a central nerve system. It's basic, but it works, and we're able to transmit signals without losing the impulse."

Korra was both intrigued and lost at the same time. "What does that mean?"

Asami sighed. "Means that in theory, I can do what I've been trying to do for over a year now: make a robotic limb that directly hooks on to the nerve system that would be directly controllable by the brain. The perfect prosthetic, in a sense."

"So what's the risk?"

-"We need a viable test subject, and your injuries basically mean that you are the perfect candidate. There is a chance that you can regain the ability to walk, but there is a risk that the implants will be rejected. Unfortunately, we can't know that unless we amputate your legs and try to hook up the mechanical leg to your real nerves."

Korra thought for a moment. "So that means that if I say yes and it goes wrong, the worst case scenario is that I lose my legs?"

-"We'd have to amputate slightly above where your nerves are severed, yes."

The veteran chuckled. "I'm in."

Asami looked up, totally flabbergasted. "Are you being serious here?"

Korra rolled a little closer, taking her girlfriend's hand. "I really am. What do I have to lose? 'Sami, my legs may be attached to me, but I'm not very attached to them anymore. They are literally dead weight. I don't have anything to lose, only the chance to gain the ability to walk again!"

Asami smiled. "Alright, if you're so adamant, let's do it."

And so they began the meetings with the other engineers, and once Korra had been fully informed of the risks, which weren't that great, in all honesty. She started her course of immunosuppressants, trying to minimize that chances of rejection, before they had to move on to the testing of the nerves themselves.

Both legs would have to be amputated at the thigh, the left one a little higher than the right one.

The surgery would take a long time, and Asami seemed to be more nervous about the procedure than Korra was. The baseplate for the artificial legs would be attached during the same procedure, with it being unnecessary to open her up twice.

An hour before the surgery, Korra, Asami, and Korra's parents were all in the room. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Senna asked with a worried frown. "They are your legs, you're not going to grow them back."

Korra just laughed. "Mom, I'm not going to miss them, they are useless now. Things can only improve from here."

A nurse came in, interrupting them. "Excuse me, but I have to take her away. I need to prep her for the surgery."

"Yeah, okay," Korra said, squeezing Asami's hand one last time for reassurance. "I'll be fine, babe." As the nurse pushed her out of the room, the veteran couldn't help herself but call out "So long, legs!"

When Korra woke up again, she smiled as she saw her girlfriend sitting next to her, holding her hand. Asami had dozed off, but that wasn't really a surprise, given that it was dark outside. "Hey," she said, her voice raspy because of her dry mouth.

Asami opened her eyes and smiled. "Hey yourself. How do you feel?"

Korra tried wiggling her legs, only to find that they weren't there anymore. All that remained were two stumps of her thighs. "Like someone cut off my legs," she said with a morbid chuckle.

At this, Asami couldn't help but chuckle too. "It looks like the implants took. They're going to start measuring you up for your legs tomorrow, and if there are no signs of rejection in a week, we're going to make them and you can learn to walk again."

Korra's smile only grew, and there were tears of happiness welling up in her eyes. "I really want to kiss you now."

-"Not to be rude, but you've been out for 36 hours, and you have really rank breath."

"Yeah, I suppose I had that coming," the veteran chuckled.

Asami smiled again. "But I've never let that stop me." With this, she pressed a kiss on Korra's lips. Even though it was short and chaste, Korra would easily call it one of the best kisses she ever had.

As always, Asami kept her word, and two weeks later, Korra had two prosthetic legs. It was a really weird feeling, because even though Asami had managed to hook them up to the proprioceptive system, telling her brain where her limbs are, pain and all other sensations were still out of question.

But this was only a small niggle for Korra, because her legs worked. For the first time in over two years, she could walk again, even if learning to walk again was akin to watching a drunk newly-born giraffe take its first steps.

"Come on, Korra, you can do it," she muttered to herself. Almost all of her weight was resting on her arms, and that wasn't exactly the way to run the New York Marathon. Actually, because of limitations in the batteries, running extreme distances was out of the question, but for normal, everyday use, they would be more than enough, if she would charge them every night.

-"If you make it over here, I'll reward you with a kiss," Asami said from the other end of the rails.

Korra looked up, seeing her girlfriend standing there with her hands clasped together in front of her chest in anticipation, almost wanting this to happen more than Korra herself. With a deep breath, she willed her new right leg to take a tiny step. It's the kind not even a parent watching their first-born take would be proud of, but for the veteran, it felt like she had just started climbing the Everest, and Asami was the summit.

Very slowly, she inched her way forward, her arms shaking under the strain of constantly having to support her weight, but she got there, all the way to the end of the rails. Here, Korra could see the happy tears glistening in Asami's massive emerald eyes, and with one final burst of power, she leaned forward, falling into her embrace.

"Thank you," Korra murmured, peppering her face with kisses. "You have to be *kiss* the greatest *kiss* girlfriend *kiss* ever *kiss*."

-"I'm so proud of you," Asami replied, barely able to make herself understandable through Korra's lips on her face. Ultimately though, she pulled her girlfriend in for one final kiss, making good on her promise.

At that moment, Korra knew. She never wanted to part with her again.


	8. She's a Pirate

Well guys, it happened. I'm finally giving in to FFN's draconian policies, mostly because it would be unfair to you otherwise. I've decided to Publish She's a Pirate on here as well, but unfortunately, that means removing it from Mornings Are Evil. I'll leave this here for personal reasons (in the words of Yathzee: "I measure my worth as a human being by my traffic figures."), but the story proper will be separate and can be accessed through my profile or just by looking for it.


	9. Announcement

Well guys, it happened. I'm finally giving in to FFN's draconian policies, mostly because it would be unfair to you otherwise. I've decided to Publish She's a Pirate on here as well, but unfortunately, that means removing it from Mornings Are Evil. I'll leave this here for personal reasons (in the words of Yathzee: "I measure my worth as a human being by my traffic figures."), but the story proper will be separate and can be accessed through my profile or just by looking for it.


	10. Bath Time

_Suddenly felt like writing some fluffy Korrasami, so I wrote this in one go. Brace yourself for some smexy but non-smutty fluff._

* * *

Asami was tired and through with it. A long workday had just been put behind her, lots of people who wanted lots of boring things from her, and then she had to race all the way across the city to fix the line of Satomobiles herself. Not the like the cars themselves, the actual production line.

Someone had been scamming off the top of her maintenance budget, filling his own pockets, and now it had all horribly jammed up. She literally had to go elbow-deep into the greasy machinery to fix it.

It wasn't the grease that bothered Asami, heck, that was the part she kind of enjoyed. It was that she had a company to run and now someone had forced her to waste time by fixing his mistakes.

Of course, the rearview mirror of her car already betrayed that she had streaks of grease on her face, and that her only real option was to go home to wash them off, even though there was still work left to be done. This would take time, and even worse, Korra wasn't there.

The Northern Water Tribe was having some trouble around the Spirit Portal that required the Avatar's intervention, so that's where she had been for the past few days. Busy with all kinds of spiritual matters that were as far beyond Asami as mechanical engineering was to Korra.

And yet... Somehow, they made it work. Asami couldn't wait to see her girlfriend again, even though it had only been three days. Their trip into the Spirit World had made them official, and telling everyone the exact dynamics was complicated, (they couldn't talk the sense into Ikki that two couldn't have children in the traditional way,) most people had been more or less okay with it if they hadn't already figured it out like Pema, Senna, and Beifong.

Poor Mako though, he hadn't figured it out by himself, and was in for the shock of his life when he found out that his two ex-girlfriends were now dating each other. That had probably been very bad for his self-esteem, even though when he had to accompany Wu to the Fire Nation, rumor had it that he became very friendly with Izumi's youngest daughter.

But all of that was in the past, and right now, Asami had to focus on the present, and item one on her to do-list was to make herself presentable again. She turned into the driveway of the Sato Estate again, leaving her car right in front of the door. She'd probably be heading out again anyway, trying to distract himself from how empty the enormous house seemed without Korra there.

What was strange was the whistling that came from the bathroom. Someone was in her house!

Knowing it was never far away, Asami quickly ducked into her bedroom, and slipped on her improved Equalist glove. Even though the Equalists had been abolished, it was selling like hot buns for non-bending police forces across the world. It was also still Asami's weapon of choice, being stylish, effective, but not entirely deadly.

She quickly pushed the door of the bathroom open, only to be surprised. "Korra?!"

Korra was there, filling up the bathtub. "Hey, babe! What's with the glove?"

Asami quickly shook it off. "Well, I... I kind of thought you were a burglar or something."

"Right, and then I'd go for the bathroom to steal things." She chuckled. "You worry too much. Your secretary called me, she said you were on your way back home to get cleaned up, so I decided to do this for you."

Asami was still having some trouble processing that her girlfriend had flown halfway across the world to prepare her a bath. "I thought you weren't coming back for another couple of days?"

Korra shrugged. "Meh, Eska and Desna wanted me gone, said that once I'd calmed down the worst of the ruckus, their own spiritual advisors could handle it, whatever that means. It does mean that I have a few days off though, and I can spend them with you," she said, moving in closer, and trying to kiss her.

"Korra, don't, I'm all greasy," Asami said, which was true.

At this, Korra chuckled. "I know." She pressed their foreheads together, and pulled her girlfriend in for a long and tender kiss. "Looks like I'll just have to join you."

This made Asami gulp. While they had moved slightly beyond kissing, that would be a new level. She hadn't seen Korra naked yet, or vice versa. "Are you... sure?"

"Only if you want me to."

Asami took a deep breath. "Alright."

Korra smiled. "Great. You get in, I just have to go get a towel. Back in a sec!" She pressed a quick kiss on Asami's lips and was out the door again.

To say that Asami was a little bit nervous was an understatement. It was for the best that Korra had made the bath with generous helpings of suds and that the bubbles were nearly pouring over the edge, so there would be at least a little bit of privacy, but that wouldn't be true for Korra. And... well, they'd be in _bath_ together. The last time Asami had shared a bath with anyone was when she was a toddler and her mother had to bathe her.

That all being said, there was some merit to the idea. They had both been apprehensive about moving their relationship to the next level, and this seemed like a good intermediate. Intimate without being sexual.

Asami decided to go for it. She quickly dumped her dirty clothes in a laundry basket and slipped into the bath.

Truth be told, Korra had done an all-around fantastic job preparing this bath. The temperature was perfect, the scented oils were delicious, and the salts worked wonders on her skin. When she was just in and comfortable, a knock came from the door. "Asami? Are you in the bath?" came Korra's voice from the other side.

"Yes, you can come in!"

Korra did. She had a towel over her arm, which she quickly placed on the counter. Other than that, she was down to a simple dark blue robe. "Are you sure about this?" she asked, a sincere concern in her voice.

"Korra, I want to be with you, and that includes bath time," Asami smiled.

She smiled back, and promptly undid her robe. Even though Asami knew that Korra was in excellent shape, she did have trouble not to blatantly stare at just how _good_ her girlfriend looked in the nude. Everything, ranging from her abs, to her full breasts, to her defined legs, it all just blended together in a perfect mix of athleticism and femininity.

It took Korra making a sarcastic remark to snap her out of it. "Are you just going to stare all day or are you going to scoot over and make room for me?"

Asami shook herself out of the daze that was her girlfriend's looks. "Sure. Where do you want to be?"

"Right behind you," Korra smirked.

Asami scooted forward a little bit, and just as quickly, Korra slid on behind her, wrapped her arms around Asami's midsection, and pulled her into her own body. They relaxed for a bit, before Asami decided to lean back, giving Korra a very awkward kiss because of the angle. Not that either of them cared though. "This is nice," she said. It was true. Taking a bath was not something Asami was ever opposed to, but taking one wrapped securely in the strong arms of her girlfriend made everything many, many times better.

"Hmm, it sure is..." Korra softly moaned back after they broke apart again. "I wouldn't mind taking baths like this more often."

* * *

 _Spent about an hour writing this because I suddenly felt like it. Blame me for fluffyness. BTW, for all you poor souls still missing out on it, the pirate story is on AO3 and the Avatar Wiki._


	11. Gym Buddies

Korra could already feel her muscles burning as she put her weights down again. _Nice._

-"Not bad," Asami commented on the bench across from her. "New record or what?"

Korra smiled. "Nah, if I wanted to go for a record, I would have done this first, not the legs. You know, focus on exclusively on the guns," she said while flexing.

At this, the pale girl laughed. They had been going to the gym together for a while now, and Korra was still miles ahead of Asami. Of course, she went here every day, while Asami only went twice a week.

And yet... these were Korra's favorite days. She instructed Asami on the hows and whats, while not being bound by anything. She didn't have to artificially slow herself down. They had different weights, different speeds of the treadmill, different amount of water in the watercycler, it all worked out. And so did they.

Of course, the fact that Korra's biggest secret was that she had a massive crush on Asami and that that was a large part of the reason she said yes in the first place was... something that should stay a secret.

But stil, crush or not, Asami was Korra's best friend, and she couldn't just throw that away. Or give up the opportunity to see her toned, slender body squeezed into nothing more than a pair of lycra shorts and a burgundy sports bra, all sweaty and glistening from their earlier workout...

 _Snap out of it!_ Korra had to mentally slap herself in the face and focus back on finishing their cooling down. To her, this was always a little bit disappointing, because A) it meant that her workout was over, and B) Asami would shortly be getting dressed again in her relatively conservative clothes.

This was always a bit of a mystery to Korra. She had this amazing body, and yet somehow never felt the need to show it off, not even a little bit.

Then again, it could also be an extension of that same disappointment, but she'd rather not think too much about that. Korra was already having trouble not furiously masturbating to the images seared onto her retinas after getting back from the gym.

Naturally, her lust won out over her conscience occasionally. It was probably a good thing they didn't share a dorm and/or shower.

Asami still lived with her father, and even though she sometimes talked about moving out, she never actually saw it through.

"Well, there's always next time, right?" Korra asked.

-"I guess so. What do you say, time for a shower?"

"Sounds like a plan to me."

They made their way to the dressing room, and just like it had been all afternoon, it was surprisingly quiet.

But then Korra learned why: there was a sign saying 'out of order' on the door leading to the private shower cabins.

"Are you kidding me?!" Korra yelled.

-"Sorry, ladies," a woman piped up. "Shower pump broke last night, mechanic won't be in till Monday. You'll just have to use the public showers for now."

 _Oh no. No, no, no, no NO!_ "There has to be something else," Korra tried. "These can't be the only showers here."

-"They're not, the rest just don't have walls. Now you can choose between showering there or going home smelly. Your call."

Asami put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Korra, it's fine. We'll just shower there. It's not like we've never done that before."

That was actually true, but only by virtue of them having been friends since they were four. They had shared plenty of baths, beds, and showers, the only difference being was that Korra didn't know back then that she had a massive crush on Asami. _Kind of an important one._ The fact that the pale girl had grown spectacular, amazingly squeezable boobs since then didn't really help much either. _Here we go again._

It was Asami who had been the one to convince her to do many things over the years, including going on that trip to Ember Island, dye a single lock of hair blue, (Korra still had that, officially because she thought it looked good, in reality because Asami once said it made her look sexy,) get her belly button pierced... In short, Korra's life would be a lot more boring if Asami hadn't been in it.

That changed when Asami came out of the closet. Korra had done so (again, on Asami's insistence,) a year or so prior, but she never really realized the implications of that until Asami became 'available'. That was probably the worst part of the whole thing: knowing that there may just be a chance in it for her. Unfortunately, finding that out could ruin their friendship.

They went back to the dressing room, where Korra could already hear the adjacent shower running. _Greatness. More people._ It wasn't so much that she wasn't comfortable in her own body, quite the opposite, actually. Korra knew that she looked good, and she took a little bit of pride in everything that her hard work had earned her, ranging from her impressive biceps to her six-pack.

No, what she didn't trust was her restraint and ability to keep her eyes _off_ Asami. That was probably going to be the real challenge here.

Korra realized she had been contemplating the issue for so long that Asami tapped her on the shoulder. "Aren't you coming?" she asked.

The tan girl looked up, seeing her best friend already wrapped in just a towel, with a bottle of shampoo in her hand. "Yeah, sure, right behind you."

This was really it. Asami had disappeared behind the wall of the shower, so Korra quickly removed her sportclothes, only to follow Asami's idea of wrapping herself in a towel. With a deep breath, she made for the shower as well. _And whatever you do, **don't stare**._

As soon as Korra rounded the corner, that last thought was forgotten. She instantly saw the pale girl testing the water, back fortunately turned to her. As it turns out, her lycra shorts weren't _quite_ as hip-hugging as Korra'd hoped, and her ass was even more amazing than when she was doing squats. _Not that you wouldn't know that._

Apparently, the water was good enough because Asami soon stepped under and turned back around. "Water's good, Kor. Feel free to join!"

Korra would, were she not too busy blatantly eye-fucking her best friend. Asami had her toned and slender body fully on display, more so than the tan girl could have ever hoped to see. The slightly pronounced curve of her ass, the immaculately trimmed strip of hair between her legs, the faint but visible line down the middle of her belly, her _oh so_ amazing breasts, all shining from the water flowing down every little bit...

-"Earth to Korra?" Asami called out.

She quickly shook herself out of it, and her face heated up like a furnace, muttering about how she froze a little bit before moving to claim a shower of her own. It wasn't until after she had dropped her towel that Korra realized a middle-aged woman with slightly tanned skin was looking at her as well with one eyebrow raised. On closer inspection, she was in quite good shape, but her short gray hair and wrinkles around her eyes betrayed her age.

"Can I help you?"

She gave Korra a good-hearted smile. "Nope. It's just that you're easier to read than the last book I read to my children."

The tan girl shook her head and turned back to her shower, where she quickly started lathering herself, hoping to conceal her blush at least a little bit.

The older woman was soon done, and Korra let out a little breath in relief, before she moved to start washing her hair. Fortunately, her short hair didn't require the extensive washing that it used to, but it would mean that she'd have to turn her back to the shower, and as a direct consequence, face Asami again.

Begrudgingly, she did, only to let her eyes fall back onto that _amazing_ body. Korra tried to avert her gaze, and was mostly successful, but that was in no small part down to the fact that she got shampoo into her eyes.

"Ow, fuck!" she called out, rubbing her eye.

There was a chuckle from across the shower. "Are you okay?" Asami asked, though not without a serious undertone of amusement.

"This isn't funny," Korra objected.

-"It is a little bit." When the tan girl started rubbing her eye, Asami objected as well. "Don't do that, just wash it out. Here," she said, and stepped over to guide Korra's head under the running water.

It took a few moments for Korra to realize just how close they really were and how naked Asami was. That she was as well was of secondary importance right now, but also there.

Still, elephant in the room and all that, and she did try to subtly move away, but because of her poor vision, ended up head-butting the wall.

-"Are you trying to find out how many ways you can hurt yourself in this morning?" the pale girl asked, but again, not without laughing. When Korra didn't reply, her tone turned more serious. "Korra, you've been acting weird since we stepped into the shower. I thought you'd be more... I dunno, more open to this. You're always so easy going with everything, wearing bikinis, shorts, all that stuff."

Korra sighed, because it was true. "I know, I know, it's just that... This is a little alien to me, and I'm surprised you're not more uncomfortable with it." _Luckily, you're still half blind, so you can be excused for not looking at her._

-"Is it me?"

At this, the tan girl perked up, trying to meet her best friend's look. "No, no, of course not... I mean..." She fell silent. "It's complicated, okay?"

She felt fingers intertwine with her own. "Korra..."

Korra's heart skipped a beat. Asami was so close, and somehow, the fact that they were both naked made it feel more intimate. It made Korra feel vulnerable, but she didn't mind being so as long as Asami was close.

Her vision cleared up again, and she could see the pale girl staring deep into her eyes. Those green eyes, ones that she could just get lost in, were now calling, and judging by the fact that Asami didn't back away, Korra's were calling back.

Ever so slowly, they leaned in, further into the stream of hot water. Their lips finally met, and yes, it was everything Korra had hoped for. Asami's lips were full, soft, and there was still a hint left of the cherry lipgloss she had worn earlier. The kiss was warm and passionate, but still tender in a good way.

As kisses went, it was short, before Korra was the one to break away first. "Asami... I... I'm sorry - I didn't..."

Fortunately, she was interrupted when the pale girl put a finger on her lips. "Hey, it's okay. I'm glad you feel the same way."

A huge smile appeared on Korra's face, but just as she leaned in for another kiss, they were interrupted

"Ahem," the woman who was in the shower earlier cleared her throat at the entrace. "You really want a private shower for that," she said before turning away.

Both of them turned bright red, and Korra quickly reached for her towel. "Yeah, sorry," she muttered.

After wrapping herself in her towel as well, Asami leaned in again, pecking the tan girl on the cheek. "You know, we could always use the private shower at my place..."

Korra thought she was going to swoon. "Take me away..."

* * *

 _For those of you wondering; no, I don't intend to make Korra and Asami end up naked in every installment here :-P. But there is going to be at least **some** more before this week is over._

 _Second note, no, I'm not a huge fan of this one, but I do think it starts out okay, even if I never could quite get the ending right, despite having re-written it three times. D'oh well._

 _Third and last note, I couldn't think of anything clever with the actual prompt of Gamer Girlfriend, so I used the backup for today._


	12. The New TA

_Ugh..._ Korra woke up with a groan, already hating this day.

Yesterday had been Bolin's birthday, and naturally, they needed to have a few drinks to celebrate it.

Because of Korra's lack of self-control and Bolin's insistence, they had turned to playing a game of 'Never Have I Ever', more readily known in her social circle as 'Let's Get Korra Drunk Quickly'. She was the one who had basically done almost everything, even when they weren't specifically aimed at her. _Excuse you for enjoying your life._

But the results were obvious, namely that she now had a cracking hangover. She was used to it, so probably no puking, but still - dry throat, sore eyes, splitting headache, the works.

Korra checked her phone, and was suddenly jettisoned back into reality. It was 8:27 in the morning, which meant she had class in three minutes. "FUCK!" she swore, and jumped up out of bed.

Now she had to choose, because no way in hell was this going to end well for her. On the one hand, she smelled like crap, so skipping a shower was a terrible idea, but it was also the one that would save her the most time. Still, she had a Maths class, and the TA already hated her. Some schmuck named Baatar Beifong Jr. Good with maths, bad with people. Problem was that Korra could just skip it altogether, but that would be a bad idea, and would probably cost her the subject.

In the end, she made for the shower, deciding to at least rinse off and brush her teeth at the same time, going for a record short when it came to showering.

While she didn't quite manage that, she did manage to make it quick, and was out again by 8:33. Korra didn't feel like eating breakfast anyway, which was a bonus, so instead, she just slipped on a pair of jeans that could pass for clean, an old RCSU hoodie, and figured that flip-flops would work for shoes.

What's worse, the building her class was in was on the other side of the campus, so even though it wasn't really the idea, Korra took her bicycle to race across the campus as quickly as she could.

But when Korra got to her classroom, she was in a for a surprise. Instead of Baatar standing in front of the class, it was a drop-dead gorgeous woman.

She took notice of Korra's entrance, looking slightly annoyed.

"Excuse me, I think I have the wrong classroom," she said, even though she was pretty sure she didn't.

-"No, you don't," the woman said. "I'm Beifong Jr.'s replacement. Have a seat."

Korra did, reluctantly sitting down at the desk closest to the door. This gave her an opportunity to have a closer look at the woman, who, on closer inspection, was more likely a TA than a actual college professor. This was mostly down to her age, Korra knew that she couldn't be much older than she herself was.

Of course, her spectacular looks might have had something to do with it as well, as she was wearing heels despite being tall already, had the grace not to wear stockings and thus putting her slender legs on display, coming from her pencil skirt, followed by a black silk blouse on top. Say what you want, her sense of fashion was excellent, as were her skills with make-up. Her hair was also perfect, falling in long, wavy locks over her shoulders.

 _Focus, for crying out loud. You're here to learn maths, not eye-fuck the TA._

Reluctantly, Korra drew her eyes _off_ the sexy TA, and did indeed start paying attention to what was written on the board.

Bone-dry formulas that would only get the biggest maths-nerd imaginable excited, for the most part. Of course, Korra forced herself to write everything explained on the board down because she needed to. Also, if she didn't, it would mean that she gave up a delicious morning of sleeping off her hangover for nothing. _Note: as soon as you get back from this, bacon and eggs._

Towards the end of the class, that only managed to draw in a handful of people, Korra was completely sick of it. She didn't want maths, she just wanted her bed and a real breakfast, and possibly a cup of coffee or some aspirin.

She was packing her stuff when the TA called over. "Girl who was late," she said.

"Yes?"

-"Can I have a short word with you?"

Korra was surprised. "Uhh, sure?"

-"First off, if you're going to be late next time, at least make sure you get a cup of coffee on the way. You have a bad hangover and you look like it."

At this, Korra turned slightly red. "Yeah, sorry. I need this class, because I'll fail otherwise. That I know for certain."

-"Figures," the TA smiled. "Look, I appreciate that you still came here and tried to pay attention to my class. I'm not a professional teacher, only doint this because of the money." She eyed Korra up. "Are you able to keep up?"

Korra sighed in defeat. "No, and this is probably a waste of time. I should just drop it and move on."

The TA slowly nodded. "Hmm," she hummed. "Or you ask me for a bit of extra help. Small fee, and I help you through it."

This had Korra flabbergasted. "Are you kidding me? I show up late to your class with a bad hangover and you're offering me tutelage?"

-"Of course," she smiled. "The fact that you showed up anyway with that hangover means that you're ambitious and driven, and thus worth my time. I need to earn a little bit because of it, but still. Win-win situation."

Korra thought for a moment. "Alright," she ultimately said. "When and where?"

-"Here, today at three."

"Great, I'll be there. Thanks." Korra started walking to the exit, when she suddenly thought of something. "Wait, I never caught your name."

The TA smiled again as she leaned back into her chair. "Asami Sato."

 _Damn. Even her name is sexy._ This was probably going to be a _long_ study session.


	13. Moving Out, Moving On

Today was pretty exciting. Korra would _finally_ get to move out of her shithole apartment and into one that she would share with Asami. What could possibly be more to look forward to than that?

Of course, it wasn't easy to get here. Convincing her homophobic father that this was something she was going to do, with or without him, was hell. Of course, the fact that Korra didn't look particularly like the first choice for a high-society girl didn't help that process very much.

Hiroshi knew on the fringes that Asami was dating girls left and right, but she never dared to confess to him that her relationship with Korra had moved far beyond casual dating. And when the day came that Korra had asked her to move in together, Asami said yes, making this the first time she'd actually move out of her father's house at age 28.

But then actually telling him this had the heiress literally shaking with fear. Korra spent days trying to calm her down, and eventually decided to go with her. It was probably better for Asami, but not for Hiroshi. The tan girl had a very recognizable appearance, to say the least. There was a tribal band tattooed around her right bicep, a large design of the mythical Tree of Time covering pretty much all of her left arm, and several smaller ones dotting the rest of her body. Then there was the fact that Korra had shaved the left side of her head, combing the rest of her hair over the right side, and had multiple piercings in her ears, nose, and tongue.

Not that Asami thought anything bad of that. She loved her girlfriend for being so open, and even though Korra cared about what Asami thought, she didn't care about the rest of the world who she didn't know anyway.

In hindsight, maybe it would have been best if she had worn something a bit more substantial than a tank top.

Hiroshi went berserk when he learned that Asami was not only in a very serious relationship with a woman, but _also_ with a woman who looked like Korra.

Of course, Asami wasn't about to be deterred by that detail. She would like to have her father in her life since he was her only living family, but if he would make her choose, she'd choose Korra every time.

So now came the day they finally got to move into their apartment. Korra had insisted that they would split the rent, as she didn't want to live off Hiroshi's wealth, which was fair enough. Ultimately, Asami found them a neat little place downtown, via an old connection she made in college.

The got the keys yesterday, and would make the full move today, with the couch from Korra's old dorm room and her dresser, plus a lot of stuff they had bought. Asami wouldn't say that the local IKEA could comfortably close down for the rest of the year, but it was close.

They had bought a dresser, a double bed, a table, and a few other things there. Korra still had a TV, they both had computers, and they would be making the move quickly. Asami didn't have a lot of stuff outside of her clothes, which truly had everyone involved stunned. Boxes full of them had been piled high in her room, and would soon be loaded into Bolin's truck, which they had rented for the day. The price was a pizza and a case of beer, which was a pretty good deal.

Of course, there was only one downside in moving right now, and that was the weather. Who would have ever predicted a heatwave in September? It was madness. The weather was predicted to hit 100 degrees later today.

At about 10, the doorbell went, and Asami opened up to find Korra standing there. "Hey, babe," she opened, pressing a quick kiss on Asami's lips. "Ready to move?"

The heiress smiled. "You bet." She looked over her girlfriend's shoulder, seeing Bolin's 25-year old Toyota Hilux that desperately needed new... pretty much everything, really. But it still ran, considering those things are indestructible, so it would do for today.

A quick up-and-down look of Korra revealed that she was wearing a simple tanktop, revealing both her arms, and a pair of shorts that even revealed the wolf tattooed on her thigh. "Really? You want to give my dad extra ammo?"

Korra simply shrugged. "Meh, he won't be a problem after today, right? Plus, it's still early and I'm already smoldering. Little clothes are allowed today."

"Good point."

They moved to Asami's room, where pretty much everything was packed. Just a few last items that were still needed were lying around, but they could now begin transporting everything to the truck.

Korra, with her muscular arms that Asami naturally adored, was easily capable of lifting two boxes at once, while the heiress really was limited to one at a time. They were about to make the stairs when they were suddenly stopped.

-"Miss Iluak," Hiroshi said."

-"Mr. Sato," Korra coldly responded. He was standing right in the middle of the hallway, blocking the way out. "Could you move? These boxes are heavier than they look."

With a sigh, he stepped aside. "Sure." Korra started walking down the stairs, while Asami was stopped by her father. "A word?"

She stopped, but it wasn't what she wanted to do. "Dad, I'm not going to change my mind. I'm almost 30 and I still live with you."

-"But why her? Is it to vex me?"

"No, it's because I love her," Asami said with an annoyed sneer. "What you think is of secondary importance here. Now can you let me go as well? Korra shouldn't be moving me out by herself."

Reluctantly, he stepped aside, letting her pass as well. This went on, and before long, the truck was packed with almost all of Asami's stuff. It went with some staring at Korra's arms hard at work, glistening from a thin layer of sweat over them, but that's the way she liked her best anyway. The rest would have to come in another car, but it didn't matter, because Asami needed to take her own car as well. True, her BMW M6 Gran Coupé couldn't hold much, but she was fairly certain she could beat Korra to their apartment.

The heiress stood in her room for what would be the last time while she was still technically living here. Korra came walking up behind her and wrapped her arms around Asami's waist. "You ready, babe?"

Asami couldn't help but feel a little bit sad. "I think so. I have lived here my entire life, but I guess it's time to move on." The nearly empty room didn't help much either. A bed, a desk, and two chairs was pretty much all that was left.

Korra gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Take all the time you need. I'll wait outside."

She stood in her room for a few minutes, and just as she was walking out, her father came walking up to her. "Asami, wait," he said, though his tone wasn't disapproving anymore. It almost sounded defeated. "I may not approve of Korra, but you are still my daughter, and I want you to be happy. I hope you find it with her." He pulled something from his pocket. "Here. I want you to have this."

It was a rather small picture in a frame, but what was on it made Asami's eyes water. The picture had her and her mother in the garden, with the estate in the background. She couldn't be older than two, but still had a broad smile on her face as she was digging in the mud near where her rose bushes were. "Thanks, Dad," she said, pulling him into a hug. "I'll miss you."

-"I love you, Asami."

"Love you too, Dad."

After this final goodbye, she walked outside, where Korra was leaning against the truck. Korra noticed that her girlfriend was distressed, so she pulled her in for another hug. "What do you say, on to new adventures?"

Asami smiled through her tears as she pulled back from her girlfriend's strong arms. "Yeah, sounds perfect."

* * *

They soon rolled up to their new apartment building, and it did fill Asami with joy. This would truly be the start of their lives together.

Korra had already put her stuff and the as of yet unassembled furniture inside, so that just left Asami's things. She would do most of the heavy lifting (worst of all, they were three high and there was no elevator) so today should be good exercise.

"What do you say, get started on assembling stuff? You're the engineer."

Asami smiled. "Yeah, okay, I got this."

An hour later, Korra came up with another set of boxes labeled 'Shoes' (this would make boxes four and five labeled that way), and smiled at the sight and sounds greeting her.

-"How can it be this fucking hard?!" Asami yelled from their bedroom.

Korra smiled as she entered the bedroom. "Is the bed working against you as well?"

-"Korra, I have a degree in engineering, and I can't build any of our stuff. How is this supposed to be DIY furniture?!"

"You'll figure something out, that's what you always do." Korra's smirk only grew. "We can also trade places, you haul boxes, I try this."

Asami chuckled as well. "I don't think you can build this with a hammer, but feel free to try."

Naturally, Korra was up to the challenge, and about twenty minutes later, she'd put a significant dent in her girlfriend's ego by having their bed ready and made. "There we go, perfect," she smirked when Asami came back up with the last boxes.

-"I hate you," the heiress said in a playful manner, poking Korra in the side.

"I know you do," Korra smirked back. Her smile only grew as she saw how her girlfriend looked so ruggedly handsome like this: sweaty, a few stray hairs having fallen from her ponytail, slightly panting from climbing stairs over and over... Truth be told, she was having a hard time not ripping Asami's clothes off right here and now.

"What do you say, give it a test run?" she asked, gesturing to the bed.

Asami smiled. "I thought you'd never ask."


	14. Earning Her Spurs

-"Sato, are you going to fix that hyperdrive today?"

Asami sighed as she picked up her wrench again. "Maybe. These take-off thrusters are more banged up than I thought, so they're going to take longer."

Her boss, a particularly ugly Mangalore called Irtos, wasn't taking this kindly. "I need this ship ready and out of the shop, the owners are getting impatient."

"Well maybe you should have put more than one 120-pound girl on a 100 foot star cruiser." This probably wasn't a good idea, talking back to him like that. He already hated her somewhat, but since she was his best mechanic, he had a tough time finding a reason to fire her and send her back to Earth instead.

Back to Earth was not a place she wanted to go, since the planet had become dry and arid after the last Great Human Wars, upon which the new governments had decided to pool their resources and fund the space station she was currently on, ironically named Hades. It was on the opposite end of the Sun from the Earth, rotating in the same orbit as their planet of origin.

This had attracted the attention of the first interstellar civilizations to seek contact, and before long, Hades had become a center of commerce from which all kinds of spaceships came and went, bringing with them all kinds of creatures.

Asami's dad had been a successful businessman, right up until the moment it was discovered that he was secretly funding and provoking interstellar wars in order to increase his profits. This didn't go down well with a lot of visitors, who subsequently kidnapped him, probably to make him stand trial before the Sagittarius council, or they just killed him on the way there.

This left Asami on her own, with nothing but a sullied name and a useless business so badly in debt it pretty much went broke overnight. All she had left was pretty much limited to the clothes on her back and the head on her shoulders, which she opted to use in favor of ending up a prostitute, which is what most women in her position would have done.

After a bit of trial and error, Asami came to work as a mechanic here, where she fixed the worst rust-buckets travelling among the stars, as she was doing now. Both the hyperdrive and the take-off thrusters were broken, leaving her to wonder how the hell the occupants ever managed to hit something as small as the Solar System, let alone Hades.

"Look, I fixed about half of these thrusters, but it's going to take time, or another guy to fix the rest."

-"Looks like they're just going to have to make do with half then," Irtos smirked, revealing his disgusting teeth. "Hyperdrive, now."

Asami sighed again, and set to work on that. She crawled deep inside the engine of the ship, where the problem most likely was.

It was dirty, hot, claustrophobic work, but it was the only work she could do right now, and so, towards the end of her day, had managed to fix the ship.

"Clocking out here," she yelled as she held her keycard to the device. Before waiting for a reply, she slipped into her jacket and got onto her hoverbike to ride back to her apartment.

It was only small, having little more than a living room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom, but it was at least a little bit of Asami's safe place.

Which is why it was extra disturbing to notice that someone was definitely there. The door was slightly ajar, nothing you'd notice if you weren't looking for it, but unmistakable to Asami. Very cautiously, she nudged it open, only to have a smile appear on her face as she saw why the door was open in the first place.

"For once, could you just call ahead of time?" she smirked.

From Asami's comfortable chair rose a figure dressed in old-fashioned cowboy boots, jeans worn down to the thread, a gun belt hanging off her right hip, a crop top, a leather jacket thrown over the chair she was sitting in, and with very distinct tattoos covering her entire left arm and her right upper arm.

-"I could, but that would ruin the surprise, wouldn't it?" She slowly stalked closer to the mechanic, having one hand on the laser pistol hanging from her belt. "You know I'm all about theatricality."

Asami stopped her by putting her flat hand on her chest, even though the distance between them was minimal. "And that's what I love about you." Before she knew it, Korra pulled her into a passionate kiss, which lasted long enough for them to be forced to end it by a lack of air.

This was why they maintained a long-distance relationship: the passion between them burned brighter every time Korra came to visit, and it was proudly on display of Korra's right shoulder: a heart with 'Asami' written in it. Probably a stupid idea, though the outlaw did admit that she got it when she was properly drunk. Not the best way to go about things, but Asami dis appreciate the notion that Korra was thinking of her when she was drunk.

Korra's hands slipped up Asami's jacket, and slowly started pulling it down her arms, dropping it on the floor.

"Korra, wait..." the mechanic started. "I'm still dirty from work."

The outlaw just chuckled. "I know, but you know that my hands aren't exactly clean either." She continued her work, and softly started kissing Asami's neck.

"Hmmm..." she moaned, loving the feeling of the surprisingly tender lips on her worked skin. "At least move this to the shower? I think we can do two things at once."

Korra smiled and scooped her up bridal-style. "Sounds like a plan."

* * *

Two showers, a meal, and no less than _six_ hours of passionate lovemaking later, Korra and Asami had finally ended up in bed, where their last round had just ended. The mechanic was already struggling to stay awake, a sight so adorable that Korra couldn't help but smile at it.

"Sleep," she urged her. "I'll still be here in the morning." Whether or not that was true, Korra didn't know yet. She had a habit of showing up for maybe one night, they had their fun, and then the outlaw was on her way again. She only had a small ship affectionately called _Naga_ , but it could support one person for a limited time. She could easily make it from one planet to another, but yet always managed to find her way back here, back to Hades and Asami's warm bed.

Sure, she encountered plenty of prostitutes on her travels, some even humans, but Korra never went for this. Her heart belonged to this one mechanic, stubborn yet beautiful, who knew exactly who she was and what she did, but never let it get in the way of their... well, calling it a relationship would be a stretch, but that was the closest thing to it.

Korra couldn't exactly offer her a life, given that she made a living robbing freighters and that her bounty was up in the ten thousands of credits, but then again, Asami had everything stolen from her, down to her very reputation. They were in the same boat, so when Korra came into the shop one day to ask for repairs, they both recognized the other, and swore to keep it silent. It wasn't ideal, but later that night, when they were in _Naga_ for a drink, and somehow, ended up in bed together.

It had since become something of a staple to them, but it always ended with Korra sneaking out, leaving Asami with an emptiness she usually filled with booze and Korra with massive guilt that she then tried to wash away with generous helpings of booze. She had more than once morbidly chuckled to herself that alcoholism probably wasn't the most healthy basis for a relationship.

But it worked, and neither one wanted to put an end to it.

Korra decided she could stay at least until Asami woke up. She gently wrapped her arm around her lover, and then went to sleep as well.

The following morning, it was the outlaw who woke up first. She made some breakfast, surprising Asami when she woke up too to the smell of sizzling bacon.

"Morning," Korra greeted her.

-"Morning," the mechanic said in surprise. "You stayed."

She chuckled. "Yeah, I didn't get in until late last night. I have a moment before they realize I'm here."

Asami sat down at the table with some of Korra's breakfast, which was surprisingly good. "Thanks. It's been a while since someone made me breakfast."

"My pleasure."

* * *

They made some light banter over Korra's adventures before Asami needed to get to work. The outlaw very kindly offered to go with her, so long as she had her vintage Aviator sunglasses on. With that and her arms covered, she wouldn't be recognized. _Naga_ was docked close to the workshop anyway and Korra never brought luggage.

But when they got to the workshop, Asami immediately saw that something was off. The ship she had worked on yesterday was docked out front again, and there were three very burly and angry looking Hefls standing around her boss. By the looks of things, he was trying to bargain for his life.

-"That's her!" Irtos called out. "She's the one who fucked up your ship!"

-"Thank you," one of them mocked, and promptly shot Irtos in the head.

Korra leapt off the bike, drawing her laser gun as well, aiming it at the aliens. She put herself between them and Asami, already defending her. "Easy, boys, no need to get violent with her."

-"This broad only fixed half of our ship, and then charged us full price. Someone's gonna pay for that."

The outlaw chuckled. "By looks of things, the guy who charged you too much already did."

Asami got off the bike as well, and felt for the knife in her boot. It wasn't much, but better than nothing. They had the numbers advantage, were bigger, stronger, and better armed. The only benefit that she and Korra had was that Hefls weren't famed for their intelligence. "We don't have to get violent here. There's money in the office, and you can be on your way," the mechanic tried.

-"Ha!" one of them mocked. "We can barely take off from this shitty station, how are we supposed to leave any planet we enter? Fix out ships, or we turn you into cat food."

Korra and Asami shared a knowing look, upon which the outlaw fired the first shot, right into the heart of one of the Hefls. It was effective, since he dropped dead straight away. Didn't help them much that their heart was close to their groin, and thus easily left vulnerable.

Asami charged, running up to one who was unarmed. Her lover entered into a standoff, shooting back and forth from mild cover.

Of course, it wasn't much of a challenge for the mechanic. Her father may have been evil down to the bone, but he still made her take self-defense classes since she was six. Those came in very handy now.

She made short work of beating the Hefl down, and just as she looked up, Korra landed a solid shot on her opponent, taking him down as well.

Asami walked up to her boss, seeing him lying there. There was no doubt about it, he was dead. Truth be told, she had mixed feeling about this. On the one hand, yeah, he was a living being, but on the other, he was also a total asshole, scamming wherever he could, including his own employees, were it not that Asami actually knew something about keeping records. The station was probably better off without him.

-"Shit..." Korra swore. "These guys are part of a gang. If they learn we killed three of them, they're coming after us."

Asami shook her head. "No." The outlaw looked up at this as the mechanic wrapped her arms around her waist. "I want to come with you. I'm sick of this life, the scraps, people turning away from me. You're the only one who appreciates me."

Korra hesitated. "Asami... I... Look, this is not something you want to do impulsively."

"I know. But I hate this life that I was stuck in. This is my chance to get out clean, to go with someone I want to be with." She pressed a quick kiss on Korra's lips. "Someone who doesn't care about what anyone says about me, or her, for that matter."

A huge smile appeared on the outlaw's face. "Let's do it," she said.

A couple of minutes later, they were sitting in _Naga_ , Asami in the co-pilot's seat. "Ready for a new life?"

"Take me to the stars."

* * *

 _This was heavily inspired by boasamishipper's Spur of the Moment and it's prequels/sequels, after which I named it. Go read those, they're brilliant._


	15. Swimming in the Rain

Korra loved days like these.

Of course, she was the only person on Ember Island to do so, but she didn't care. They didn't have to agree with her, they just had to let her.

When it rains on a Sunday afternoon, most people tend to stay indoors, maybe have a cup of tea and hang around the house a little bit, but not Korra. When the rain came, she instantly became restless. It was almost like water got her invigorated or something, because she had loved it ever since she was a little girl.

That probably was a good thing, given her home island. Well, home island was a little bit much, but since her father hated the Northern Water Tribe, they had come down here when Korra was just a little girl.

Ever since, Korra loved the sea. She loved how it was cool on hot days, of which there were of course plenty. She loved the life within it, the deep blue color, how it provided her with something to do on boring days...

And on days like these, when the season was warm and the rain was sticky, Korra loved to go swimming in it. Under water, she was protected from the rain that made her clothes stick to her skin in the most awful way possible.

Of course, an added benefit of her love for swimming was that it made her really quite fit. She didn't really need to exercise, just to pull another few laps between her house and the old jetty on the far end of the bay. It used to belong to some rent-a-board business that had gone bust a few years ago, and then that building burned down under suspicious circumstances. Their jetty remained though, and it was a perfect target for Korra.

She was taking a short break after having pulled five to and fro laps, so within another five, she'd be heading back inside. At that point, she'd have swam for more than two miles, with only a short break in between. Not bad for a 15-year old.

Content that she could take just a few more minutes, Korra leaned back and closed her eyes, letting the rain fall on her face. It was warm rain, which is why she was so eager to swim today instead of, say, sit around all day while sweating like an otter-dog.

-"Hey there," a voice suddenly came from her left, so sudden in fact that Korra's arms slipped and she fell on the jetty.

When she finally regained her senses, she took a good look around, and soon found a girl her own age leaning on the jetty. Her skin was strangely pale for someone on Ember Island, but her raven hair suggested that she was a tourist from the Fire Nation. It framed her face and ran well past her shoulder, where it disappeared into the water again.

"Hi..." Korra reluctantly said, shuffling over a little bit. "Umm... Where did you come from?"

-"Over there," she said, pointing with her thumb over her shoulder. Korra followed her finger, but she was pointing out to sea. "You're quite the swimmer."

This had Korra a little spooked. "You've been watching me? Creepy."

-"In my defense, you're basically swimming through my back yard."

"What are you talking about? I live over there," she said, pointing to her house. "We're the only ones living in this neck of the woods."

She shook her head. "No, you're not. I'm not very far away from here. It's a good thing my father didn't find you here, he'd be pissed." When Korra just continued to stare at her, she looked like the light went on. "You don't know about us, do you?"

"It's safe to say that I don't."

-"Scoot over."

Curiously, Korra did so, making room on the end of the jetty. Before she really knew it, the girl dove under again, only to jump straight out of the water, and plonked herself down on the jetty, right next to Korra.

But it was _how_ that really had her amazed. Instead of legs, she had a _tail_. A fish tail, covered in large, shiny green scales. From sheer surprise, Korra jumped up, stumbling back a few paces

"You're a _mermaid_?!"

-"Umm, yeah. You've heard of us, but you look surprised."

Korra took a deep breath as she tried to calm herself down. "Yes, I mean, mermaids are these mythical creatures to us, no one really knows they actually exist."

The mermaid shrugged. "Well, we do."

Now that the initial shock was wearing off, Korra gave herself the time to eye the mermaid up. Her initial assessment of her being beautiful still stood, and there was in fact another addition to it that made her go slightly red: she was _topless_. Fortunately, her breasts were covered by her long hair, otherwise this would have been a very awkward conversation.

In spite of this, Korra couldn't help but be curious. "So what's it like to live under water? What do you live in?"

-"Well, it's not really all thet different from what you have here, I guess. We have a house where I live with my father, and from there he rules the seas around us. But what about you? Why are you only partly covered?"

"Ah," Korra said, rubbing her neck. Of course, it didn't help that the mermaid was tugging on the strings of her bikini. "Could you... We kind of wear clothes, to stay warm, and it's frowned upon to go out without any."

She snorted. "Sounds impractical." Suddenly, she perked up, as if she heard something. "Right, I have to go. I guess I'll see you later." rather gracefully, she slipped back into the water, before quickly surfacing again. "Wait. What's your name?"

"Korra."

She smiled. "Pretty name. I'm Asami. See you later!" With this, she dove back under, and then was quickly gone.

Korra just dumbly stayed on the jetty, waving at the spot where Asami disappeared.

* * *

 _The reason I didn't publish this in the week itself was mostly because I wanted to expand on it, but that deviated so far from the prompt that I cut that part out. Might publish it later, though._


	16. A Drink For Free

Korra was pretty pissed off right now. She had a temper, sure, and her friends all knew that, but it wasn't something that couldn't be kept in check. They knew that if they didn't purposefully push her buttons, there was no risk of Korra blowing up at them.

But right now, they were pushing it. Korra has known all of her life that she wasn't gay, and generally felt pretty comfortable with that. Of course, that's not the same as saying she had a problem with it somehow, because really, she didn't. Two of her closest friends were gay, but this never affected their friendship somehow. Why would it? Both Opal and Jinora had been fairly cautious about coming out to her (in fairness, Korra already knew about Opal, Jinora could hide it a little easier because she was bisexual) but nothing had changed afterwards. What she did have a problem with was that Pinky and Perky had lied to her.

'Let's go out for a night into town,' they had said. 'It'll be fun,' they said. Of course, what they hadn't said was that they planned on going to a lesbian bar to score some for them, condemning Korra to drinking tasteless beer by her lonesome, hoping for a naive guy to be dragged along here as well. What made it worse was that she was pretty close to being broke, but then again, what self-respecting student isn't.

It was fairly probable that Korra would have the last laugh though, given how it was pretty obvious to everyone except for Opal and Jinora that they were meant to be together. Either they were oblivious to it, or they were deliberately avoiding it, but the fact was, they should be an item.

Opal and Jinora were currently dancing with girls they didn't know and probably would never see again, but it didn't matter, because it was meant to be a one-night-thing either way.

"You look very lonely," a voice behind her said. Korra turned around, seeing a girl standing there, and it did have her slightly jealous.

Even though Korra took pride how she kept her body in peak physical condition, there was that incessant niggling little doubt in the back of her mind, always telling her that it would be better if she looked more lady-like. Should be noted that her uncle fueled that thought, since he was trying to make up for failing to turn his own daughter into a proper lady.

The girl before her got this right. Her long slender legs protruded from a short burgundy dress, which showed off her exceedingly feminine figure, and found the sweet spot between being risqué but not slutty.

On top of that was her perfect long, flowing hair, which was something Korra had never been able to do. She had it long for years, but it knotted so badly that a few months ago, she'd had enough and decided to go to the hairdresser and cut it off, letting it fall just over her ears.

"I guess I am," Korra replied. "Turns out that I need better friends."

The girl chuckled. "What happened there?"

"Do you see those two on the dance floor, back to back, who are probably gonna start making out with each other any minute now?" she asked, pointing to Opal and Jinora. "Pinky and Perky lied to me, or at least, they didn't tell me we were going to a lesbian bar."

At this, the girl looked slightly puzzled, but the light in her head went on soon enough. "You're not gay?" she asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise.

"Nope," Korra definitively said, and took another sip of her beer. "Sorry to disappoint you."

"Hmm," the girl said, rubbing her chin. "Well, due to a lack of people who are honest with me either way, care for a drink? On me." Korra was kind of surprised by this. "Are you sure? Kind of wasting your time if you're just looking for an easy lay."

"Meh, I'm not that desperate, but I could do with the company." She gestured over to the bartender, quickly ordering two shots. "I give you a shot if you give me your name."

"I'm Korra," she smiled, kind of impressed by how easy she was talking to her.

"Asami," the girl replied, putting a small glass in front of Korra. "Bottoms up." With this, she quickly downed it.

Once again, Korra was vaguely impressed. "You strike me as someone who's done this before."

Asami smiled. "I have." She smiled as Korra hesitantly looked at the glass, cautiously sniffing it. "Relax, I haven't drugged it or anything."

"Well, I'm more concerned about what it is. I like shots, but shots don't like me."

At this, Asami laughed out loud. "If you don't want to drink it, just give it to me, I won't be offended."

Korra chuckled. "What, and give up a chance for free alcohol? I think not." She put the glass to her lips, killing it back in one swig just like Asami had. "That burns," she said, feeling the burn in her throat.

"Makes sense, that drink is half alcohol."

"Yep, that would explain a few things."

It briefly fell silent between them, Korra seeking out her friends on the dance floor. By now, they had switched to dancing with each other. "Are you a virgin?" Asami asked, which had Korra flabbergasted.

"Excuse me?"

"Are you a virgin? You know, had sex at least once."

"I know what a virgin is, but that's hardly the first question to ask in polite conversation."

Asami smiled. "In fairness, I did ask you for your name first."

This was something Korra didn't really have a clever reply to, mostly because it was true. After opening and closing her mouth several times without an answer, she decided on one. "Still, it's quite personal to ask someone that."

"Maybe, but it works. I'm your total stranger, and yet we're still talking."

"Good point," Korra conceded.

Asami smiled again. "So are you or what?"

"What does it matter? You're not a contender."

"You're getting very defensive."

Korra scoffed. "Well, yeah, like I said, I think it's pretty personal. But because you bought me a drink, I'll have you know that I'm not."

"There we go," Asami smirked. "Did you like it?"

"Alright, now you're getting to the point that your goodwill is running out."

Asami shrugged. "You don't have to answer it. I'm just trying to see what I can get you to tell me before you tell me off, which is right about here, I suppose."

"You're damn right it is." Korra fell silent here, and looked over to her friends on the dance floor. Just in time as it turned out, because it was right at the time Jinora and Opal turned around to dance with each other. It did put a smile on her face, because the way they did it was... well, the best word Korra could think of to describe it was 'provocative'.

"They seem to be enjoying themselves," Asami commented.

Korra nodded. "They sure do."

"You could be too."

"Oh for the love of God, are you that convinced you can turn me gay?"

Asami smiled. "I am very persuasive." She chuckled, quite pleased with her remark, but Korra wasn't amused. "Oh come on, it was just a joke. Besides, you don't just 'turn' gay. Some people just don't realize it."

"And you think I'm one of those people?"

"Well... Have you ever been with a girl?"

Korra shrugged. "No, but I've also never been shot, and I can tell you that would hurt. Not everything has to be empirical."

"Fair enough," Asami said with another chuckle. "Still, it's worth a shot. Dance with me for a bit? I'll buy you another drink afterwards."

"So now you're bribing me into dancing with you?" Korra scoffed. "I suppose that's one way to do it, but there are girls who'll do more than dance with less effort."

Asami laughed. "Not my type of girl. Anyway, what do you say? Good fun and good legsercise."

Korra chuckled. "Fine, you get your wish."

She followed Asami onto the dance floor which was still crowded with couples that were mindlessly swaying to the music. Most of them didn't pay attention to the beat and just danced to their own rhythm. She could see Jinora and Opal, who were still dancing with each other, shooting her encouraging looks. Korra had to refrain from rolling her eyes.

Admittedly, Asami was gorgeous, but Korra was the only one here not into that. She only agreed to dance because … Well, probably because she didn't want to drink herself into oblivion all night. Dancing with Asami couldn't be that bad, after all. It's not like that one dance would change anything. Asami would be getting her a free drink after, so it couldn't do any harm.

"Ever been on a dance floor before?" Asami looked at her amusingly. "Usually, you're supposed to dance and not stare at the ceiling."

Korra looked back at the woman. She snorted. "Yeah, but I'm not really a top-notch dancer. My experiences with dance floors involve lots of alcohol and a hangover after."

Asami chuckled. "Fair enough. Let me give you a tip: dancing requires actually listening to the music and to find your own beat you can dance to."

Korra rolled her eyes. "I don't need tips from you. I know how to dance." She hesitated. "Well, more or less. At least I tend to not trip over my toes."

"Just follow my lead," the girl said and continued to dance, swinging her hips to the music while moving her arms effortlessly around her body. Korra had to admit that she was quite good but she'd never say it out loud.

Asami shot her an expectant look. "Are you gonna stand there all night or do you plan on actually having some fun? You should put more effort into it if you want that free drink."

Clearly annoyed, Korra crossed her arms. "One, I didn't want to come to this bar in the first place and two, I'm definitely not going to make a fool of myself. I might have a soft spot for good beer and bacon but my dignity comes first. There's a certain line I don't cross and this is it. You'll have to have fun on your own."

Smirking, Asami said, "You didn't tell me you're a total tease." With that, she didn't seem to pay attention to Korra anymore and just continued to dance and swayed her hips even more while doing so. Korra wasn't having any of this and was about to leave when she caught the knowing look on Asami's face.

"At least your friends know how to have fun."

Korra turned around to the direction she was looking at and quickly wished she hadn't; not far away from them she could see Jinora and Opal kissing each other. Not to get anything wrong; she was happy for them but on the other side it reminded her of her current situation which she had to thank those two for. And yet, she smiled. It was about time Pinky and Perky found each other.

'Guess there's always a happy end.'

"You know, trying doesn't hurt."

She turned around to face Asami again. She snorted. "I told you it won't happen. You might be very persuasive - which, I'll admit, is impressive - but I won't change my mind," she said decisively.

Asami smiled. "If you are so determined, a kiss should do no harm, right?"

Korra thought about it. 'Why is she so keen on me?' She always knew that her appearance was appealing to a lot of people, though she didn't think Asami would go for the athletic type. But she had a point: why being so defensive about it?

There was nothing to lose, anyway. She'd been involved with boys her entire life and never had feelings for girls. Why should that change now?

'Might as well get it over with.'

"Fine, have it your way."

Korra didn't really know what to expect. Opal had given her the rundown somewhat, but that wasn't saying much either. She kept her pants securely shut, so to speak.

But when Asami's lips actually met hers, the feeling was nothing short of electrifying. Her lips were soft, 'God', were they soft. No boy Korra had ever kissed could come close to this. They ranged from chapped to needy to drool-pool, but Asami's were amazing. In the end though, the red lips left hers, Korra felt lightheaded, and instantly missed the sensation of those on her own.

Maybe she was just a little gay after all.

* * *

 _Just for the record, I wrote the first half (more or less) of this and erraticshift then wrote the second half when I ran out of inspiration. This also prompted her to continue the story in her own bigger story, which should be online shortly._


	17. Insider

Korra was lost. At least, that was the thing that was probably closest to describing how she felt right now.

Graduating was for her, like it was for a lot of people, a sort of 'now what?'-moment. She didn't get a job straight out of college, so instead, she worked at a movie theater until she could find a real job. The pay was okay and it got her and her friends some early movie access, so it would do the trick for now..

But of course, it was just something she did to pay the bills, split the rent with Opal, her flatmate. The job hunt was on, but the way it felt today was like the jobs took the rifle from her and shot her instead.

-"Hey, Kor," Opal jovially greeted her when she stepped in again. "How'd it go?"

Korra loudly groaned as she dropped onto the couch, tossing her bag in a chair.

-"That bad, huh? Want some jelly beans to cheer you up?"

"Come on, Ope, something stronger."

-"Full-fat ice cream?"

" _Stronger._ "

-"Beer?"

"Now we're getting somewhere." Korra graciously took the bottle from her flatmate, taking a long swig. "It went bad. Like really, _really_ bad." She sighed. "I had the interview with my ex."

Opal looked confused. "Mako? Bolin always said he became a cop."

"He did, I meant the other one."

-"Oh. Yeah, that sounds bad. Was it awkward?"

Korra nodded. "You have no idea. It was stilted and clumsy and neither of us really knew what to say. I couldn't have blown it harder if I'd have thrown up on her shoes." She took another swig from the beer, finally realizing that it was actually disgusting. "Don't we have anything other than this piss?"

At this, Opal chuckled. "Yeah, there's some vodka left over from Saturday, same as this beer."

"That's more like it." Korra slouched over, already ridding herself of her tie, jacket, and started unbuttoning her shirt. Maybe a navy blue suit, white shirt, and white tie was overdoing it a little, but on the other hand, it were her best clothes.

Still, at least there was liquor to wash away the nasty aftertaste. Hopefully the hangover would prevent her from feeling bad about the job in the morning too, and she'd only feel bad about finishing the half of Opal's vodka that was left.

By the time Korra fell back on the couch, she was down to her tank top and suit pants. Those would soon be replaced by either sweats or nothing, depending on whether or not Opal would leave.

-"Korra..." Opal cautiously began to try and relieve the silence that had fallen. "You broke up with Asami for a good reason, and she is not a vindictive person. I wouldn't count yourself out just yet."

"You go ahead and do that for me then," Korra bitterly remarked after taking a large gulp of vodka. "You didn't see her after I pulled the trigger. Metaphorically, I mean. She was... I broke her heart, Ope. I'm surprised she didn't toss my application in the shredder straight away." Opal smiled. "See, the fact that she didn't is a good sign."

Korra sighed again. "I dunno. I really liked the job, suited my degree perfectly. Well, there's always this," she said, taking another swig, straight out of the bottle.

This made her flatmate chuckle. "Alright, tonight is for sulking, tomorrow you go back to the movie theater, and next week, you go back to sending out applications. I was gonna go over to Bolin's place, but I could also just stay here and watch some Netflix with you. He'll understand."

"That's really sweet of you, Ope, but you don't have to. I'd rather walk around without pants."

Opal laughed out loud. "You know that creeps me out. How are you not cold without them?"

"Grew up in a cold climate. Anyway, we both haves dates, though yours is alive and mine is clear and comes in a bottle," she said, loving stroking the bottle. This was pretty good stuff.

-"Alright," Opal said, and pulled Korra in for a quick hug. "But if I find you pantsless on the couch again because you were too lazy to walk to your bed, I'm waking you up with a bucket of cold water."

"Deal."

The next morning, Korra found she did keep to the deal, sort of. Even though she finished the bottle of vodka and left Netflix running, she did make it back to her bed.

Working in a movie theater was kind of ideal for a night owl like her, because movie theaters never really start before three in the afternoon, so there was plenty of time to work off a hangover and at least look presentable.

The afternoon showing of some movie Korra wouldn't watch in a million years just started, so it was quiet now. Her counter was clean, so she could lean back a bit and play some Candy Crush before Tenzin would notice anything.

-"Afternoon," some woman piped up.

Korra fumbled with her phone, and only just managed to stop herself from dropping it. "Hello, sorry. I thought I had a moment," she said, and only then really looked up to see who it was. "Well, fuck me sideways," Korra swore under her breath.

Asami smiled. "Nice to see you too."

"What are you here to do, rub salt in the wound?"

-"Korra..." Asami did actually look a little hurt by this. "Do you really think that little of me?"

The darker girl sighed. "Well, no, but after yesterday... low-hanging fruit and all that. Figured you'd be here to laugh at me."

Asami nodded. "Guess you'd think I hold grudges or something."

"Well, I dumped you. It's not a little thing to be vindictive about."

-"I didn't want to do this over the phone, I think you'd need some explanation for this."

Korra sighed, because she knew what was coming. "Well, there's a shocker. Can we get this over with quickly?"

-"Korra, you got the job."

"Ha! I knew - wait, _what_?!"

Asami smiled again. "You were the best candidate among the dozen or so who had their interviews. That's the official read on things anyway, and the only one that really matters."

A single raised eyebrow was Korra's best response. "And the unofficial read?"

-"I know you, and I know that you're good for the job. I didn't preselect the candidates I would be interviewing, so I was kind of surprised to see you there. They took my recommendation, where I said that we went to the same college together and that you were a dedicated worker when you put your mind to something. That was enough to sway my bosses to hire you." It briefly fell silent between them. "I think the words you're looking for are 'thank you'."

Korra was too flabbergasted to really say anything, and was listening to the whole rant with her mouth literally hanging open. "I... honestly don't know what to say. Thanks."

-"You're welcome. But Korra, I'm serious when I say that I don't want there to be any bad blood between us. We used to date, but now we're not anymore."

"But what about when I dumped you? I remember the way I left you like it was yesterday. Better than yesterday, actually, because I killed that bottle of vodka way too fast."

Asami sighed. "Yes," she softly said. "You broke my heart, and I spent the next two days crying. But it was also something that I knew needed to happen, and you just had the guts to actually end it whereas I... didn't. You were busy with college, I was busy with my first job, so there wasn't any time for 'us'. Neither one of us put enough effort into our relationship, so as far as I'm concerned, we're both to blame for it failing."

Korra let that sink in for a while. No, their relationship wasn't the healthiest by the end, but even though she was the one to break it off, she didn't think it was beyond repair if Asami really wanted to. Part of her was probably hoping Asami would see this as well, and that she would come back to her to try and mend it, but that never happened. Now, three years later, Korra was still single, maybe in the hope that Asami would come back to her one day. "I suppose..." she said. "That doesn't explain why you stuck your neck out to hire me, though."

-"Told them the truth," Asami shrugged. "I said that you were even willing to do the unpleasant thing when it's necessary, which I know to be true." The remark sounded a little bitter, but it was true, mostly.

Having someone on the inside was always the biggest advantage you could have when looking for a job, it just wasn't the insider Korra was expecting. "What if someone figures out that we actually used to date?"

Again, Asami didn't appear to be fazed by this. "That's on me, not you. Besides, don't you think the fact that I'm your ex and still vouch for you is a good sign?"

Korra gave her a 'fair enough'-nod. "I guess..."

-"Korra, shouldn't you get back to work?" Tenzin called out from across the hall. "Theater 3 still needs to be swept."

"Yeah, I'll get on it." She turned back to Asami. "I guess this is it for now. When do I start?"

Asami smiled. "Next week. By the way, wear that suit again. It looked good on you."

Korra just couldn't stop herself from blushing as she watched Asami walk away again. This was certainly not how she expected this day to go.

* * *

 _Just a silly little thing I wrote. Bigger things to come, people. If there is a lot of demand to continue it, I might do so. Or not if I don't feel like it._


	18. How I Got to Memphis

_Quick note up front: I intended this to be part of Korrasami Week in September, and never got around to finishing it. Luckily, Korrasami Month used this prompt again, so I guess it's as good a time as any to finally publish it._

* * *

 **Memphis, Tennessee - 1934**

* * *

Korra knew she shouldn't be complaining too much. After all, she was more native than she was negro, but people didn't really know that and her skin was fairly dark. Of course, being a woman didn't help her very much either, so to think that she was particularly well-suited to the job market would be naïve to say the least.

Then of course there was the issue of her soulmate. That her father and mother met had been pure chance, and their first contact had been his hand on her shoulder, resulting in an intricate tribal pattern running over Senna's shoulder, neck, and partially over her cheek, and it covered much of Tonraq's arm.

This was a fairly uncommon way, soulmates mostly met early in life, and the tattoos forming from their first contact was something they carried with them for life. The pattern that was formed then was identical for both partners, even if the locations varied. Even though it was subtle, but soulmates were often drawn to each other, to get them in the same place, which is why it was extra strange that Korra hadn't met hers yet.

But Korra hadn't met her soulmate yet, even though she was 21, and it was starting to worry both her and her parents. She scraped together a living by working as a musician most of the time. Her skills on the piano didn't go unnoticed by her family, and ultimately, her father managed to hook her up with Tenzin, the barkeeper who looked past her skin color and instead wanted someone who could play music to entertain his patrons.

With the Prohibition just over, business was booming, and attracting customers was key. Tenzin had decided that Korra was his key, as she generally did a great job of lifting the mood with some enjoyable tunes. His place was actually pretty nice, and Korra was lucky to be playing here instead of some dump in the negro neighborhoods that was more common for them. It was fairly acclaimed, so it wasn't unheard of for richer people to stop by here for a drink.

Hell, the fact that she had a job at all was more than most people in her social circle could say. It wasn't much, but it definitely did help her parents with putting food on the table.

Tonight was Saturday, which was Korra's best night. People generally tended to tip, and getting quarters and dimes would help her along. Sure, each individually wasn't much, but people did spare it, and combined, it was definitely a nice bonus.

From her position on the stage, she could oversee most of the bar, and given her skill on the piano, she could keep an eye on the door from here. Korra had gone for pants, which was uncommon, but skirts made her uncomfortable, a loose button-up, suspenders, and a flat cap, her short hair playfully jutting out underneath it. Appearances didn't matter too much to Tenzin, as long as she was washed and clean, he didn't really care. She was there to play the piano, not run a fashion show.

She was playing Scott Joplin's _The Entertainer_ when the door opened to let in a rather portly man and, Korra was hoping at least, a girl that was probably his daughter. At least, she looked like it, and if she wasn't, the age gap did look rather big, as she'd estimate the girl to be her own age.

That being said, it did fill Korra with a little bit of envy, because she was _gorgeous_. Like Ginger Rogers, Marlene Dietrich, and Mirna Loy rolled into one, and then wrapped up in a stunning sleeveless red dress. Long raven hair flowed over her shoulders, framing a face of beautiful pale skin.

The fact that it was more attraction and less envy was not really surprising to Korra anymore. She knew about this part of herself, even though she kept it on the down low for everyone's sake.

But being the ever-stoic professional that she was, Korra just kept playing. Her break would be up soon anyway, so she could get a drink and give her fingers some rest.

"Bolin," she beckoned, asking her second to come up to the stage. "Mind taking over for a bit?"

-"Sure thing, Kor. Got any requests?"

She chuckled. "Try Rodgers' _Blue Moon_. Typically goes down well."

Bolin took her seat at the piano, and gently started playing. He came here as well, and knew the piano fairly well. Korra liked to consider them friends, and even though Bolin had been kind of hoping for it, they weren't soulmates. Probably wouldn't have worked between them anyway.

Korra took seat at the bar, and Tenzin was quick to put a bottle of beer in front of her, as that's what she liked to drink.

-"No need to be sober on the piano?" a voice to her right asked.

She looked up, seeing the girl leaning on the bar, a coupe of champagne in her hand and a cigarette between her fingers, on a short holder. "Nope," Korra chuckled. "If I pour in a beer, I might actually try singing." They both smiled as Korra took a cigarette from the box the woman offered her. "What brings you by?"

-"My dad," she said, nodding to the older man, currently in an animated conversation with Lau Gan-Lan, one of their regulars. "He had some business, and is now seeing if he could set up some sort of deal. Bars tend to be better for informal conversation. I just felt like coming."

"Very true." Korra took a content sip of her beer, feeling the girl eye her up.

-"That was some nice music, by the way. How long have you been playing?"

Korra chuckled. "All my life. Tenzin was kind enough to let me play here, make some money for my folks." She briefly let it fall silent as she took a drag. "I'm Korra."

-"Asami," she replied, holding out her hand.

But when Korra shook it, she got the shock of her life.

As soon as their hands touched, a bright light started emanating from it, and it soon spread over both of their arms in what seemed to be random spirals. It didn't hurt, in fact, it actually felt pretty good. There was a warmth, spreading from her hand and reaching all throughout her body.

But just as sudden as it started, the light faded again, and the warmth stopped. There was an intricate tribal pattern all over her hand, reaching into her sleeve. When Korra took a close look at Asami, the pattern covered indeed her entire arm, and even reached up further than that, over her shoulder, her neck, and finally ending with a single spiral next to her eye.

Korra touched the same skin there one her own face, and it was a little bit more sensitive than normal.

"Whoa..." they said in unison.

It took a moment before they realized that the entire bar had gone quiet, even Bolin had stopped playing the piano. It wasn't every day that you witnessed someone meeting their soulmate.

"You're... You're my soulmate..." Korra stammered.

-"I guess so..." was Asami's equally stunned response.

Korra looked up at her newly found soulmate in awe. It was true, she was beautiful, but somehow, her attraction just grew stronger. The way that her mouth was ever so slightly ajar while studying the brand-new pattern formed on her arm was adorable, the way her raven hair fell over her shoulders with its bright shine and slight wave, the way her burgundy dress revealed just enough cleavage to be provocative but not enough to be inappropriate... She was plain and simply _stunning_.

-"What is going on here?!" A heavy voice broke the fragile silence that had fallen over the room. It was the portly man Asami had come in with.

-"Dad... I think I just found my soulmate," Asami said, still a little perplexed.

Her father's eyes jumped from Asami's arm to Korra's, onward and upward to Korra's face, and back to his daughter's. "No," he said. "We're leaving, right now."

-"Dad, she's my soulmate. I want to get to know her."

He didn't look convinced by this. "She's a woman. What's more, a _negro_ woman. I will not stand by and watch my daughter mingle with someone like that. Let's go."

Korra was almost used to this, but she also saw the devastation in Asami's eyes. The person she'd been looking for for years, and she was a total disappointment in the eyes of her father. "Go," she said, soft enough for Asami to hear it but not loud enough for her father to. "I'll be here, Asami, I promise. Every night. Now go."

With one final squeeze of her hand, the pale girl decided to follow her father outside back to his Auburn, where they rode off again.

Meanwhile, Korra turned back to Tenzin. "Give me a scotch. A big one." He didn't question her, and just poured it.

* * *

She kept her word. For three days, Korra played in the piano, only very slowly getting used to the tattoos adorning her arm, neck, and face.

Naturally, her parents were through the roof with excitement until she told them how Asami's father reacted. Tonraq and Senna couldn't care less that their daughter's soulmate was a woman, they just wanted someone to secure a future for her, and the daughter of a rich automobile manufacturer certainly qualified.

And so, on the third night, playing the thousandth sad song since she met Asami, the doors opened again to let her in.

Though it should be said that she was almost unrecognizable. She pulled up on an Indian Scout of all vehicles, dressed in a leather jacket, riding boots, and pants. Her hair had been pulled tightly up her head in order to stuff it under a leather pilot helmet.

Korra thought it made her look even sexier than she had in that dress.

Instead of drawing much attention to herself, Asami sat down at the bar, ordering a Coke to keep herself occupied while Korra continued to play the piano. Of course, the arrival of her soulmate prompted her to quickly put her sad song to an end and start playing something a little more upbeat.

After taking her sweet time, finally ending with Blind Willie Johnson's _John the Revelator_ , Korra decided to take her break, and gestured Asami to come with her into the dressing room. Normally, it was reserved for the people who actually performed on stage, but Korra didn't need that. She just needed her piano and it was all good.

She closed the door behind them, and leaned against it. "Judging by your mode of transport, your father wasn't exactly okay with this," Korra said with a very morbid realism.

Asami sighed. "No. He still thinks it's none of my business to give myself to a negro woman." She briefly fell silent. "I'm sorry, Korra."

"So am I." Korra thumped her head against the door. "What are we going to do, Asami?"

-"I don't know." Asami reached down, taking Korra's tattooed hand in her own, and let her thumb run over it. "We should try and make this work. My dad may not like it, but these are our lives." She briefly fell silent. "We can go to New York, together. I know mechanics, and you know music. We can make it together, Korra. There are no laws there against two women being together."

Korra nodded. "Yeah." She gently squeezed Asami's hand and moved herself a little closer. "You really want to go through with it?" she asked, staring deep into those massive green eyes.

It didn't take any words. Asami simply leaned in, capturing Korra's lips with her own.

And it was _amazing_. Asami's lips were even softer than Korra had imagined them to be, and in her imagination, they were already pretty soft. With the addition of a little bit of tongue, Korra completely lost herself in the moment, loving the taste of her soulmate.

-"I guess we go."

* * *

 _I don't mean to provoke anyone with the language I used, calling people of color 'negroes'. It's a horrible, derogatory way to refer to people of color, and I absolutely don't stand for it, but it is what happened at the time, and we cannot forget that. The easiest way we repeat the mistakes of the past is by ignoring it. To avoid that, we need to confront the mistakes that were made before so that we can learn from them._

 _Truth be told, I could have set this story in 1960 and nothing would have really changed. What I want to demonstrate here is that it really hasn't been that long since these kinds of practices were not only common in the US, they were **law**. Just to put it into perspective, by 1960, both of my parents were born already, and I'm still in college. So yes, I do think it is deeply worrying that someone who spreads hate and polarizes the US just got elected president, because that right there is step one to repeating this._

 _Last note, I named this after a great song played in The Newsroom, which I think is a criminally underrated show._


	19. Vendetta

**Warning:** _This is definitely the most graphically violent one-shot I've written so far. Continue to read at your own risk._

* * *

Korra felt like she could barely breathe. All around her were bodies, and she was fairly certain she was about to be the next one to die. A Nazi patrol was coming her way, she could hear the tanks rumbling. She couldn't see them coming though, they were just on the other side of a low wall. Korra was about to raise her head, when another woman caught her eye. She was covered in so much blood Korra thought she was dead as well, but instead, she brought a finger to her lips, and gestured to lie still with her head down.

It almost felt pointless. Korra knew she was going to die here, thousands of miles from home, here in the ruins of the city of Stalingrad. She had been lucky to survive the first charge, because she wasn't the one in four soldiers who had managed to lay their hands on a rifle. It was an almost certainty that the oncoming Nazi's were going to finish the job, both her and the woman to her right.

The tanks came rolling by, their sound was unmistakable. Not that it's very hard to miss a twenty five-ton steel monster rolling by not three feet away, but it wasn't exactly comforting. Two soldiers jumped over the wall, looking around for comrades that were still breathing. Korra held her breath, and kept her body limp, trying to fool those two that she was dead.

When one of them kicked her foot, she thought she was done for, but luckily, he fell for it. One of the others wasn't so lucky; when he twitched unnaturally, the Nazi drew his sidearm and shot him through the head, definitively killing him.

After what felt like an eternity, the soldiers walked on, and the unrelenting rumble of the tanks finally died down.

Korra looked over to the other woman, who had a better view of what was coming due to her position of being propped up against a plinth of some statue that had probably been destroyed weeks ago.

She held up two fingers and pointed over her shoulder. Very gently, not to spook them, Korra turned her head, seeing that the two soldiers who had just executed the last remaining Soviets had stopped for a smoke. One of them was half obscured by the statue, the other was in full view, but they were both standing with their backs to the women.

The other woman made a few gestures, and even though Korra had trouble interpreting them, they did sink in: they were going to kill those two Nazis.

Korra didn't have any weapons; she didn't get to pick one up, and her comrades had run out of ammo making their last stand to defend this square. _Bare hands it is._ She saw the other woman draw a knife out of her boot, and she snuck around the remains of the statue, so Korra decided to take the one on the right.

Sneaking up to him very slowly, keeping her head down, she looked left, seeing the other woman give her a single nod, and this was her cue: Korra wrapped her arm around his neck, falling on her back in an effort to choke him. He was strong, but so was Korra, and this struggle would have lasted some considerable time, had it not been for the other woman coming out of nowhere, ramming the knife right in his chest. Korra held him for a short while longer, but it quickly became apparent that he was dead. "Thanks," she said.

-"Don't mention it," was the dry reply. "You're Korra Volonova, right?"

"Yeah, who's asking?"

-"Sergeant Asami Sato. Now take your pick: rifle or machine pistol," she said, gesturing to the dead Nazis.

Korra looked down, seeing that one of them was armed with an MP-40, the other with a scoped Kar98k. "I'll take the rifle, I'm a pretty good shot at a distance." It was heavier than she was expecting, but nothing unmanageable. She went through the soldier's pockets, taking his ammo, his sidearm, and joy of joys, found a nearly full pack of cigarettes in his chest pocket.

After helping themselves to the German weapons, Asami spoke up. "Let's go, we have a war to win."

Korra's eyes grew wide. "You're joking, right? There are half a million Nazis out there, how the hell are the two of us supposed to bring them down?"

-"You have any better suggestions?"

"Regroup with the armies on the east bank, mount a counter-offensive from there, it's our best..." Korra wasn't allowed to finish, because Asami roughly shoved her against a wall. "You listen to me, soldier," she spat. "I outrank you, and right now, we are the best chance the motherland has against these fascist pigs. We do the only thing we can do to slow them down: bite the head off the snake. Comrade Stalin doesn't take kindly to desertion, and if we go back to the east bank, we'll be executed. So we either go west, and we'll likely die as heroes, or we go east, and we'll certainly die as traitors."

Korra didn't know what to say, as she realized that the sergeant was most likely right. "Okay," she softly agreed, and pulled the bolt of her rifle halfway back, doing a brass-check. It was loaded. "Whereto, sergeant?"

She thought for a moment. "There's an SS colonel called Maximillian Schwartz, he's the one who orchestrated the massacre. I've been pushing for weeks to go after him with a small team, but no one would listen to me. And now I'm the one calling the shots, so we are going to do it, both for our comrades and for Mother Russia."

"Certainty of death, small chance of success..." Korra sighed, and a slight smile appeared on her face. "What are we waiting for?" Together, they stared making their way to the center of the city, where most buildings were still standing. The women were quiet, as there was the chance of being spotted by Nazi patrols at every turn, but they made it to their first target without running into any trouble: a communications post.

They chose their position, which was a building on the opposite side of the street. From here, Korra and Asami had a good view of the post, and were able to pick their targets. They were lying behind a pile of rubble, something that probably once was the roof, but had come crashing down onto the floor below. "What do you think?" Korra asked.

-"Well, no way we can take out all the guards. I count 12 on the ground, an MG42 in the window on the second floor, and a sniper on the roof. But as soon as we fire the first shot, those numbers will triple within the minute." Asami thought, trying to come up with something clever. "Can you disable the transmission towers from here?"

Korra looked through her scope, seeing two wooden poles on the roof of the building, a couple of wires stretching between them. If she would shoot the point where they all attached, it would disable their ability to communicate long-range. "It's a small target, but it should be doable. Say about those fascist pigs what you want, they do make good weapons. Two things though: when I fire, we should be out here immediately, and it's only going to knock it out briefly. They can probably fix it in an hour or two."

Asami's reply was a non-committal shrug. "So be it, if we can't get Schwartz within that time, it's going to be over anyway." She took the stick hand grenade from her belt, unscrewing the end cap and putting her finger through the loop. "Okay, take aim. I'm going to toss this grenade to cover for the sound of your shot. Once I pull the cord, you have five seconds. Ready?"

It wasn't a bad plan, to create a diversion. Korra aimed at one of the poles, steadying her breath and setting the scope to what she roughly thought the distance to be, at about 100 meters. "Ready," she said.

-"Fire in 5..." Asami pulled the cord, setting the timer in motion, "4, 3, 2, 1, now!"

Korra pulled the trigger, and at exactly the same time, she heard the grenade go off somewhere on the other side of the street. All German soldiers looked in their direction, including the sniper, which was the one she was really worried about. They ducked back behind their pile of rubble, invisible from the street. "Keep your head down, and follow me," the sergeant said, and she crawled away, making sure to stay out of the line of sight.

Korra followed suit, knowing that they'd be dead otherwise. They made their way over to the far side of the building, where there were stairs that were still intact.

The two women quietly made their way down to the street, where Korra knew it would be half an hour before they could make the German command post in the center of the city. Even though it was their land, and not the Nazi's, they held this side of the river occupied, and so Korra and her sergeant were in enemy territory by all possible measures.

This also gave Korra the room she needed the take a look at the sheer destruction done to the city. Almost every building was destroyed to some extent, some completely, some just riddled with bullet holes.

After a while, Asami ushered them inside one that was still relatively intact when she spotted a patrol a little way up the road. "Do you see them? Four man-patrol, one dog."

"I see them," Korra muttered. Truth be told, she'd want nothing more than to just kill them right now, but that would be suicide. The only advantage they had was the element of surprise. "Do we sneak past them?"

-"Risky with the dog. You take that and work your way from left to right. I'll work the other way."

Korra took aim, knowing that she should feel bad for killing an animal like this, but it was either that or get killed herself. Neither option was pleasant, but this was the one where she got to live. "Target in my sight."

-"Fire when ready."

With a deep breath, she pulled the trigger, and the dog fell down dead before it could even move. Asami started shooting too, and by the time Korra had loaded another bullet into her rifle, all four of the Germans were down. They held their position for a few more moments to see if more Germans would come out, but none came.

They came out of their hiding place, and Korra poked one of the Nazis with her rifle, to which he let out a gurgle. He definitely wasn't dead. With a bitter look on her face, Asami nodded. "Do it."

Korra knelt down and took the knife from his belt. _Blut und Ehre_ the inscription read. "How fitting," she chuckled. Slowly, she pushed the knife through his ribs and into his heart, where she felt the warmth of his blood spilling over her hand. When he did stop moving, she wiped her hand on his uniform and tucked the knife in her own belt. "You never know when it might come in handy," she commented.

-"True," Asami agreed. "Feel better now?"

"Well, we gave these four pigs what they deserved, but they aren't what we're here for. Where's the command post?"

-"Right this way."

The sergeant led them into a building, up two flights of stairs, and to a room overlooking a large square. There were at least four halftracks and one heavy tank on the square, not to mention plenty of soldiers. Going through would be suicide. On the far side, this heavy defense was obvious: one old building was adorned with red Nazi banners with swastikas in them. It was still mostly intact, and a fortress itself. "How do we get Schwartz out here?" Korra asked.

-"Patience. He'll come out, because he goes on an inspection of the troops every day at noon. He never misses a day, and that's when we take him out. When we do, all guns will be on us, so we'll have to make a run for it immediately."

It really was a waiting game, and a very tense one at that. If they were spotted before they could take the shot, it would be over. They also needed him to come out before the communication post was fully repaired, because that was hindering them.

And their patience was rewarded. The black uniform and big hat was a dead giveaway, and Korra smiled. He might as well have painted a target on his back. "Distance?"

-"400 meters."

"Wind?"

-"None."

Korra made some final adjustments on her rifle, knowing that she had only one shot. Every fiber of her being was against pulling the trigger, because it would likely be the death of her, but she had to do it. And when he was out in the open for a moment, she squeezed.

The shot was loud, and the bullet hung in the air longer than she wanted, but it was a hit. Straight to the chest, and Schwartz went down immediately.

Asami started laughing out loud. "Great shot!" She wanted to celebrate further, but was cut off when the machineguns opened fire at their position. "Fuck! Let's go!"

They got very lucky as they were running towards the back of the building: there was a canal there. It wasn't wide, and it probably wasn't even deep, but it was their best chance right now. Without hesitation, they both jumped, landing in the slow moving water. It was the softest landing they could hope for, which was good enough for now.

They swam for a while, until Asami gestured for them to drag themselves ashore. Korra laid there in the sand for a moment, and laughed. "We did it, Asami. We fucking did it."

-"Korra," the sergeant said, only her voice wasn't as happy as Korra had expected, so she looked up. Asami was clutching her stomach, and when she opened her hand, revealed that it was red with her own blood.

"Fuck," Korra swore, and moved to help her. Neither of them had any medical supplies, so instead, Korra ripped the hem of her shirt, pressing it against the wound. She'd been hit by the machineguns, even if it was only once. That was a big problem, though. "Come on, we need to get you off this bank." Korra hoisted the sergeant half on her shoulder so she wouldn't have to walk entirely under her own power, and got them out of there.

They made their way to an apartment building that still looked intact from the outside. "This one looks pretty good." Korra poked her rifle around the corner, seeing that it was clear. It was a simple apartment, though it had been burned from the inside. There wasn't any furniture in it, but that just meant that no one would think to look for them in there. And with that mighty Kar98K and enough ammo to make it a while, nothing would be able to sneak up on them.

Gently, Korra sat Asami down in the corner, and tried taking a look at the wound, but she waved this off.

-"It's too late, Korra," she said, though clearly with some difficulty. "I've done my job, and now I'm giving you another one..."

"No! You can't die here!"

Asami smiled, and for the first time, Korra realized how beautiful she truly was. "I'm going to. Nothing you can do is going to stop that." She reached behind her own neck, and pulled a small necklace from it, with a small half cog as a pendant. "This was my mother's, given to her by my father. They're both dead now, and I'm the only one left of my family. Take this. Take this to Berlin, so that when you win the war, you can tell those fascist pigs that they lost the war right here in Stalingrad. That you are there to avenge our comrades."

Korra felt her eyes tear up. How could it be that the sergeant, who was so rock-hard, who pushed her to do the impossible, and then did it, was now dying in her arms?

But she also knew that Asami was right. Her medical knowledge and supplies were far too limited to do something about this now. With shaking hands, she reached out, taking the necklace from her. "I promise," she said.

-"Win the war, Korra," she said with increasing strain on her broken body. "That is... my last..." But before she could finish the sentence, she stopped, falling back against the wall she was leaning up to.

A tear rolled down Korra's cheek, and she clenched her fist around the pendant. "I will." She closed Asami's eyes, taking one last look into the beautiful deep greens, before moving away. She made a promise, and no way in hell was she breaking it.

* * *

 _Three years and 2000 miles later, now Captain Korra was standing on top of the Reichstag, next to the Red Banner. She took out the necklace from her uniform, having worn it all throughout the war. It had kept her safe, and knowing that her brief encounter with the driven, beautiful, and amazing sergeant had changed her life forever was amazing. "This one was for you, Asami."_

* * *

 _Aww, I know you wouldn't want it to end like this, but not every story can have a happy ending. Bummer._

 _Quick few historical notes: yes, women were allowed in the Red Army during WWII, it just wasn't very common. Yes, there was a desperate shortage of weapons in the early stages of the war for that same Red Army, leading to Stalin saying that the soldiers should just share their weapons. Naturally, this made them cannon fodder. The people I mention here are all fictional, nothing like this happened, I've taken most of it from Call of Duty: World at War, the mission "Vendetta", which is far and away the best one and the one I named this short story after. Lastly, yes of course I know they're supposed to speak Russian, but I don't speak Russian, which makes that difficult for me to write._

 _Lastly: Happy Korrasamiversary, everyone!_


	20. What Happens In Vegas (Vegas Part 1)

_Few quick notes up front: first, this will have at least a second part, maybe even a third, depending on how it plays out. Second, Korra plays football, not handegg. Enjoy._

* * *

This was probably the weirdest way Korra had ever woken up, and that's saying something.

It was hard to pick one to start with, really. Well, perhaps with the one that woke her up in the first place: a massive headache that felt like someone had taken a woodcutter's axe to her skull, someone who was clearly determined to chop down a whole forest in one night.

Second was definitely the fact that she couldn't move either one of her arms, or at least, not in a way that she wanted to. On closer inspection, it turned out that she was cuffed to both ends of the headboard with fuzzy pink handcuffs. _Meh, wouldn't be the first time, but you usually remember_ ** _what_** _happened._

Then in third place was that there was something rather heavy lying on top of her. Judging by the heat coming from it, it was probably a person, and the skin-on-skin suggested that the other person was naked, which neatly brought Korra to number four: she was naked. Then again, she was handcuffed to the bed, so if she wasn't naked, it meant that no one had fun.

Lastly, and this was definitely the least elegant one, there was a very distinct pain coming from her ass. _Welp, hope that whoever did that to me was worth it._ Korra tried turning her to see who it was on top of her, but couldn't quite make the angle. She was lying on her stomach, and that paired with the handcuffs probably explained the throb in her shoulders and back.

"Just fucking great..." she muttered, resigning herself to the fact that this wasn't going to change until the other person woke up and freed her from these cuffs. "Hey," she said out loud, trying to shake the other person awake. "Hey, wake up!"

-"Hnnnggg..." came a groan out of her. _Well, at least you think it's a 'her'._ "Fuck off..."

"I'd love to, but I'm chained to the bed, so if you could get me out of these cuffs, that'd be great." After this, it was briefly silent from the person on top of her, though Korra could feel her shift. She turned her head, and this made her eyes go wide in shock when she realized who she was looking at. "Holy shit..." she muttered.

-"Korra?!"

"Asami?!"

* * *

 **Two days earlier...**

* * *

-"Come on, Kor, it'll be fun!"

Korra sighed, because she really wasn't sure about this 'vacation' that Bolin was suggesting. "I dunno, Bo, I should stay fit. A trip to Vegas probably doesn't fit that description."

He laughed this argument away. "Bullshit, the season is over, your team got to second place, so I think you're doing fine. Playoffs won't start for another five weeks, you can let go a little bit. You need to relax as well, and a couple of days far away from everything would do you good. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas."

This annoyed her, because Bolin was right. Her team had fared far better than expected in the football competition, and even though there were a few offers on the table for Korra herself to transfer, none of that was solid yet. She had played a large part in getting as far as they did, becoming MVP with the most goals to her name this season in the entire competition. If anything, she had earned a leave of absence.

But Bolin being her best friend was arguably not very good for her. Well, good for her sanity, absolutely, because he had an acute sense of when she needed to either relax or blow off some steam. He was also a great wingman in those instances, having nudged plenty of people in the right direction for her. Korra's focus was slowly shifting back to women, as she'd given them up for a while after her first girlfriend broke up with her in her first year of college. That was a hard hit, but even after that, men just didn't quite do it for her.

Being a relatively prominent athlete helped, but still, Bolin's help was always appreciated. The reason he was probably a bad influence on her simply has a lot to do with the fact that he occasionally took her to somewhat shadier places which once resulted in them both getting slammed in handcuffs, but then promptly released again. _Fortunately, that headline probably would have made ESPN._ Also, most nights they actually did go out, Korra simply woke up with a massive hangover, which was just unpleasant.

-"Korra? If you don't answer, I'm gonna take your answer as a 'yes' and book the ticket for you."

She sighed again. "Yeah, I'm in. Who else is coming?"

-"Sweet!" Bolin hollered. "And it's going to be you, me, and Mako with his new girlfriend, Akira or something. She seemed nice, I think you're gonna get along fine with her."

"Alright. I'm free for the next few weeks, text me when you have a flight and such."

Bolin clearly hesitated, Korra could even make that out over the phone. "Umm, yeah, about that... I already have the tickets. Tomorrow morning, JFK Airport, flight leaves at 10, be there by 8."

This actually caught her off guard, which didn't happen very often. "Are you being serious here? You already booked?!"

-"The tickets were a bargain! I figured I'd be able to persuade you to come with me, so yeah, I thought it was safe."

Korra groaned. "You're incorrigible, you know that?"

-"I do. Remember, JFK, Terminal 2, 8 AM. Pack for a long weekend in the desert."

 _This should be fun._

* * *

 **The next morning...**

* * *

Korra hated getting up early in the morning, ever since she was a little girl. _'The morning is evil' never stops being true._ She ran her hand through her hair as she always did, and for a moment, felt very strange. Then she remembered that after Bolin had called her yesterday, she went to get a haircut, chopping of basically all of her hair.

Well, she didn't go full bald, but she did go back to a length that could stay in a sort of backwards-angled 'mohawk' with a generous helping of wax. The sides were short, and that was something the hairdresser suggested. The real reason Korra wanted to get rid of her bob cut, which she'd had for a while now, was that it could be a little irritating when playing football. It could get in the way, and it turned out that ponytails were even more annoying for her.

So mohawk it was for now, at least try something new. That was Korra's philosophy at least: it'll grow back anyway. And if nothing else, it was just a joy to shower with. _So easy to dry._

Packing had been easy enough, so she hauled her ass to a cab and made for JFK, curious about Mako's new girlfriend. Being an aspiring detective, he could be a little dull, but overall, he was a decent guy and deserved someone nice. It should be noted that the only one who didn't notice that Korra's gaydar lit up like the Rockefeller Center's Christmas tree around Mako, was Mako. Classic case of still-in-the-closet, she knew, but there wasn't really anything she could do about that without coming off as a bitch. She'd just have to keep hoping that he'd stumble across it some day.

The cab ride over was A) horrible, B) expensive, and C) slow, making Korra regret that she didn't take either her bike or the train. _That just would have been so much easier._

But here she was, JFK Airport, ready to forget about stressing out for a couple of days, at least once she was on board the airplane. She took out her phone, an quickly shot Bolin a text.

 **Korra:** _At the airport. Where are you?_

 **Bolin:** _Starfucks. Mako and gf on the way_

She chuckled at his autocorrect issues. _Coffee is actually not a bad idea._ Downside was that Korra had played in Europe as well, and could never quite get used to how bad coffee in the US was by comparison.

The shop came into view soon enough, and Bolin was already there, already sipping a cup of not-really-coffee. "Korra! Nice and timely, by your standards anyway."

"Oh, hahaha. Got one of those for me?" she asked, nodding to the cup of coffee. "It's far too early in the morning to be as excited as you are."

Bolin just smiled. "How you ever became a professional athlete with that attitude remains a mystery to me."

 _Now he's just making things easy._ "Same way you became an actor: we don't have careers, we just have an overpaid sequence of lucky breaks."

-"That's a little cynical, wouldn't you say?"

Korra just groaned as she let herself fall down on a chair. "You can be critical of my jokes if you get me coffee."

This in turn made Bolin laugh. "Fair enough. Gives me some time to come up with a comeback." He got up, and Korra had her mind half made up to go back to sleep right there, were it not that he was right back since there was no one there at such a ridiculous hour. "There you go, double espresso, because you look like you need something strong."

"You know me so well." Korra took a content sip of her coffee, which actually wasn't half bad. Bolin decided it was probably wise to stay on his phone for a moment while his best friend slowly drank away her sleepiness.

-"I like your haircut, by the way. It suits you."

"Thanks," Korra said, running a hand over the spiky hairs on the side of her head. She'd quickly done it earlier, basically putting it back-ish in a messy way. She tried not to raise it too high, and this worked just fine for that. At least it was out of her eyes. "Kind of felt like it was time for something different. Even the way I had it before was annoying the fuck out of me on the field."

Bolin chuckled. "Totally get it. Remember when I had to grow my hair out for that one biker movie? Drove me nuts on a daily basis."

It made Korra laugh too as she reminisced, because that simply did _not_ suit him very well. "So," she continued when she saw him checking his phone. "When are Mako and the mystery girl coming?"

He looked up. "They should be here any minute, I just texted them where we are, then we can go check in. I hope they get here soon, I want to do some duty-free shopping."

Korra chuckled. "You know that's all a scam, right? Just because there's no tax, doesn't mean it's cheap, it just means that the retailers get to keep more of the profits. Also, it's the only place where they can charge five dollars for a bottle of water and get away with it."

This made Bolin laugh, and it reminded Korra of just how _easy_ is was for them to get along. They didn't get to hang out nearly enough recently, but that was because Korra was busy with the end of the season, and Bolin landed a job in some really shitty TV-soap, but he liked what he did. Of course, that was the one downside of hanging out with him in the evening: he sometimes wanted to watch it, and begrudgingly, Korra did. Most of the time, it was a struggle to keep a straight face through the laughable dialogue and insane plotting, so Korra always tried to avoid that.

-"Ah! There they are! MAKO!" Bolin yelled out, making Korra groan in exhaustion again. _How can someone be_ ** _that_** _energetic_ ** _this_** _early? There should be a law against it._ When she finally did look up though, she was in for a surprise.

-"Hey, Korra," Mako greeted her.

But Korra wasn't looking at Mako. Instead, she was looking at his girlfriend. " _Asami_?!"

She was equally surprised. "Korra? What the hell are you doing here?!"

"Bolin asked me along, but I feel like I should be asking you the same thing!"

-"I got us the hotel we're going to be sleeping in!"

Mako was following the conversation with a raised eyebrow, but didn't seem convinced. His skepticism however, wasn't even close to Bolin's surprise. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! You two _know_ each other?!"

"We used to..." Korra started, but she was immediately interrupted by Asami.

-"Go to the same college," she quickly finished, while throwing Korra a meaningful look.

This reminded the athlete of the exact circumstances in which they split, so she decided to keep her mouth shut. _For now._ Korra downed the rest of her coffee quickly before speaking up. "Asami, I think we need to talk - in private."

Asami nodded. "Good idea."

To make sure neither one of the brothers followed them, they headed for the one place they knew they'd be safe: the ladies' room. After checking to make sure they were alone, Asami suddenly whipped around. "I thought we agreed to keep our break-up quiet."

"That was six years ago, and you're still not out of the closet."

-"I haven't told Mako," she weakly tried to defend herself, but Korra knew her better than that. She raised a discerning eyebrow, which told Asami more than enough. "Fine, you're right, I haven't told anyone. I'm just not very comfortable with it, okay?"

Korra sighed. "I know that, but has really nothing changed since then? You have a career by now, do you really think that being bi is going to change anything about that? Look what it did to mine: absolutely nothing."

-"I work for and with my father now, and when I gently probed, he wasn't a fan of the idea. It's for the best."

"Of your career," Korra objected. "Are you really happy this way? Hiding half of yourself away because you are afraid of what others might think?" She paused for a moment. "Actually, don't answer that, because that argument sounds very familiar to me."

Asami didn't look impressed. "You're right, it's probably not very good for me, but I value my career more than that. I've kept it to myself successfully since we broke up, and that's good enough for me."

The athlete sighed again, because they'd had this argument plenty of times when they were together, and it was ultimately the reason they broke up. "Fine, I won't push. But then you have to answer me this: what are we going to tell Laurel and Hardy once we step out of this bathroom?"

This actually made life difficult. Asami was smart enough to figure out that even Bolin would see that there was more between them than just 'went to college together'. And Mako, as a promising policeman, would have no trouble piecing it together. "How about this: we tell them we were together, but just keep the whole bisexual thing to yourself, okay? I'll find a way to talk us out of that."

"Fair enough," Korra nodded. "But if you talk us into a corner, it's on you." With this, she exited the bathroom, followed swiftly by her ex.

The brothers looked none too pleased. "Alright," Mako said, already having supplied himself with a cup of coffee and also having bought one for Asami, "what happened between you two in college? Because it's pretty clear that you didn't just 'know' each other."

Asami nodded. "You're right, we didn't." She took a deep breath. "Korra and I dated in our first year of college."

Bolin instantly inhaled his coffee, sending him into a coughing fit, whereas Mako just raised an eyebrow. "You two _dated_?! " the younger brother exclaimed when he stopped coughing. "When? How long?!"

-"Keep your voice down, will you!" Asami shushed him. She anxiously looked around, but no one who heard it seemed to care, which pleased Korra, who decided to take over, because the more truth was out there, the better. "It was my first year of college, so before I met you, Bolin. We dated for, I dunno, eight or nine months? Better part of a year, that's for sure."

Asami nodded. "Yeah, something like that."

-"That's a long time to be curious," Mako snidely commented.

-"Yes, it was," the businesswoman continued. "We worked pretty well for a while, but then things started deteriorating, and we had to put an end to it. Didn't stick around afterwards, because I was set to go abroad for an internship a month later, then I was done with college, and that was that. We haven't seen each other since."

Korra nodded in confirmation. "Yeah, something like that. Because of our break-up, I threw myself more into the college life, and that's how we ultimately met," she said, glancing at Bolin.

It stayed silent for a while after that. The brothers obviously had trouble processing this news, especially Mako. Asami was obviously hoping that there wouldn't be many more questions after this, and Korra was just wondering which one would come first.

-"So are you gay?" Mako ultimately asked.

-"No, I'm not, Asami shook. "Like you said, I was curious, but after I broke up with Korra, I never really found an interest in women again."

This stung for the athlete, because she could see that was a lie. In six years, Asami hadn't changed one bit. She was afraid to come out of the closet, even just admitting it to herself. Korra could always see that when they were alone, kissing, cuddling, or even just holding hands while watching a stupid movie, Asami lit up. She looked so much happier than she did in public, when it was always a façade trying its hardest to keep the rest of the world out. The first few months, sneaking around was fun, but after that, Korra started getting frustrated with Asami's unwillingness to show the world that they were together. She had been out of the closet for years, her family, friends, even her football team knew, and they were all okay with it, but this wasn't enough to sway Asami. The pressure kept building up, and then one day, Asami broke it off. She was apologetic about it, she took the full blame for them failing, she tried to let Korra down gently, but it still broke her. Maybe it was just Asami's inherent kindness that made it so hard on the athlete, that she was a ten out of ten girlfriend, and then she broke it off. Korra had been in a few flings since, couple of one-night stands, but nothing really noteworthy. And maybe, just maybe, it was because all of them paled in comparison to Asami.

Her train of thought was broken by a woman on the intercom. "Attention, passengers. Boarding for Delta flight 2256 to Las Vegas McCarran will begin shortly. Please move to the designated gate."

-"That's us," Bolin said. "Do I need to keep you two apart or can you make it through the flight without killing each other?"

"I think we'll be fine," Korra chuckled, and Asami smiled too, which warmed the athlete up inside. _Damn._ She honestly couldn't tell if it was because it was good news that they were still on decent terms or because... Asami was still the most beautiful woman Korra had ever met.


	21. The Snow Storm

_Plot bunny time! Can't help it, this just popped to mind as my country once again went on lockdown because we had three millimeters of snow._

* * *

Korra was slowly getting frustrated. Well, actually, forget the 'slowly'-part of that equation. And also the 'getting'-part, the longer she thought about it. And maybe even the 'frustrated'-part, because that felt like an understatement. She was _pissed_.

Having made it big in ice hockey had a lot of benefits, and normally, she wouldn't count this as a downside. She'd been asked to come back to her home state of Alaska, to play a game for a charity and do some more work for them. It was for an environmental issue, saving polar bears and seals and whatnot, but the important thing was, she was totally behind it. Expenses were paid, and Korra waived any fee they wanted to give in, on the condition that the charity put it to good use.

That was the good part. The bad part was that it was the middle of winter, she was in Anchorage, and a snow storm had picked up. Now the people here are tough, tough as a two-dollar steak, her father would say, but this was extraordinary. So much so that basically all flights in and out of Anchorage airport had been cancelled.

Now, given the date and the location, that wasn't entirely surprising. What was surprising however, was how poorly it was managed.

Firstly, getting information about her flight back to Washington was nearly impossible. Korra had to physically go to the airport to get a solid answer, only when she got there, she found out her flight had been cancelled. This was extra bad because she hadn't booked another night in the hotel she'd been staying in, so now she had nowhere to go. Sure, her parents lived in Alaska, but they were in Nome, and the only real way to get there from Anchorage was by plane. She was alone here.

So, she went to the airline desk, and they promised her a room in a nearby hotel to stay the night in. Fair enough, one might think. But then the second problem became apparent as soon as she got in line of the reception area: every - fucking - person meant to fly out from here had the same idea.

Korra loudly sighed as she looked at her phone again for the time. She'd been standing in line here for nearly two hours now, and it felt like she wasn't getting any closer to the desk.

-"Tough day?" a woman's voice next to her asked.

She looked up, checking to see if it was actually aimed at her. This was where Korra was met with simply gorgeous green eyes and a warm smile on a beautiful woman in the line next to her. It was definitely aimed at her. "Yeah, you can say that again. You know, from now on, I'm all for charity work, just not in Alaska anymore."

This made the woman laugh. "No kidding. I was supposed to fly back to Tokyo, and my plane was meant to leave an hour ago." She held out her hand. "Asami Sato," she introduced.

"Korra Young."

-"Korra?" she said, a little surprised. "That's an unusual name."

"I know, my parents are traditionalists. They insisted on giving me a 'traditional' name."

Asami chuckled at how Korra was making air quotations as she said that. "Well, I like it. It's a perfectly good name."

"So what brings you here in the middle of a blizzard?" Korra asked, as she was starting to enjoy talking to Asami.

-"Oh, business. It was dull and tedious and it's debatable how worth it was for me to fly down here, even before every flight back home was cancelled. We have a research vessel under construction here, and there were a few problems the company decided I should sort out."

"Sounds complicated."

Asami groaned. "It wasn't. My dad, who is running the company, doesn't think I'm capable of handling more important tasks. He still thinks I'm six years old and shouldn't be trusted with anything sharper than a chopstick."

Korra chuckled. She knew she shouldn't be laughing at someone else's misery, but the way Asami was bringing it was just working on her laughing muscles. "Maybe you should talk to him about it if you actually get a flight back."

This made her sigh. "I appreciate the sentiment, Korra, but it's not that simple."

She looked like she was about to explain that, but they were interrupted by the clerk of Asami's line. "Next!" he called out.

-"That's me. Nice meeting you."

"Likewise."

Korra watched as Asami went to check into a room, and saw that her own line was nearly done as well. She was almost up. Just one person left, and then she could get a room, flop down on the bed, and watch some bad television until the airport opened again.

"Alright, front of the line, be polite, not their fault," Korra muttered to herself.

And then her good intentions were slammed into the ground as someone from the hotel stood on the counter. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm very sorry, but we are officially full now. There are no more rooms left in this hotel, but we will try to help you in any way that we can."

"You have got to be fucking kidding me!" Korra yelled out loud. "I've been waiting in your line for _two fucking hours_ and now you tell me there are no rooms left!"

The clerk hopped off the counter, and walked up to her, as she was yelling the loudest. "Miss, please calm down, it's an unfortunate situation, but we can't help it either. I'm very sorry it has come to this, but I promise you that we'll help you in any way that we can."

"Yeah, yeah, you said that in your little speech, but do you really think there is even a single room left in Anchorage for tonight?"

-"Miss, if you just stay calm, we can work towards a solution."

Korra took a deep breath, trying to remember what her coach had told her. 'Getting angry won't solve anything,' Tenzin's calm voice resonated through her. "Alright, fine. But I don't have anywhere else to go. I'll be fine with a sofa and a blanket, if you have something like that."

This actually seemed to relieve the clerk as well. "I am sure we can arrange something like that."

-"Korra," another voice interrupted them. She looked up, surprised to see Asami. The businesswoman seemed a little hesitant, but did continue. "I have a room. If you're up to it, we can share."

"Wait, what?" Korra said, raising an eyebrow. "We met five minutes ago, and you're offering me to stay with you?"

-"Necessity is the mother of invention," Asami smiled. "Besides, a good friend once told me that sharing with a fascinating stranger is one of life's true delights. I have a room with a king-sized bed, just to warn you."

She thought about this for a moment, but really, there wasn't much to think about. It was either staying in a warm bed with a gorgeous woman, or spend the night on a miserable couch in the hotel lobby. "That's very gracious of you, Asami, thanks."

-"One condition though," Asami warned with a stern expression, which had Korra a little worried, but she soon lightened up. "You're buying us dinner."

The athlete chuckled. "You got a deal." She immediately turned back to the hotel clerk. "Buddy, makes us a reservation for two in the restaurant in twenty minutes, I think you owe us that much."

Even though there was a brief moment of him looking a little annoyed, he was quick enough to smile. "Certainly, Miss."

Korra smiled as she turned back to Asami. "Well, I think we have to unpack. Lead the way."

Their room was high up in the hotel, which would have provided them a nice view over the city, were it not for the massive amounts of snow coming down and the general darkness caused by the late hour.

The room itself was nothing special, just a bed, a television, and a little bathroom in the corner. Still, Asami sat down on the foot of the bed and turned on the news, trying to see if that could tell them anything useful, but it quickly turned out that it couldn't.

It was all just more doom and gloom about how flights were cancelled and people were stuck in terrible traffic and all such things, every news station trying to outdo the other by finding the most spectacular wreck to film from the best angle. After a grand total of five minutes, she turned it off again. "Well, that's not going to help us."

"No, it's not," Korra bitterly remarked. She tried to call Tenzin, her coach, but there was no signal. Obviously, really. Instead, she just wrote him a quick email to let him know she couldn't make the training tomorrow, and hoped for the best. "Alright, this is all an exercise in futility. How about we just go down and get that dinner I owe you?"

Asami chuckled again. "Sounds good to me."

The restaurant was packed, obviously, so Korra already figured that they should order quickly if they wanted any kind of choice. Asami looked like she was struggling to choose, though Korra couldn't fully figure out why. "You know you don't have to worry about prices, right? Even if I didn't have the money, and I do, I'm just gonna claim this back from United for sticking me in a full hotel."

-"I'm pretty sure that's not how it works. You get your hotel reimbursed, but you'd have to pay for the meal yourself."

"We'll see about that," Korra smugly replied. "I'm gonna bleed them dry for every fucking penny I have to spend here. Couldn't care less about the money, but I do care that I have to rely on the kindness of strangers to get me out of their mess."

-"What is it that you do for a living to make you so care-free?"

Korra smiled. "Professional ice hockey. I live with my dog Naga, don't have any kids, I have a nice apartment in Washington and a motorcycle to get around on, what more do I really need?"

Asami smiled. "That's one way to look at it. Though a car for when it's raining would be nice."

"DC traffic is terrible, I'd rather take the subway."

-"Sounds reasonable enough."

Korra turned back to her menu, because she was hungry. "Hmm, the Black Angus looks good, wouldn't you say?"

The dinner itself was pretty good, and they made pleasant small talk. _Well, not that small, really._ They agreed that the US was basically fucked with Trump at the helm, that Asami's job could have been a lot more interesting if her father let her have more responsibilities, and that Naga was very cute, even when she was just a small picture on Korra's phone.

Soon though, they were getting some funny looks from other people, and they decided that since the hotel was so busy, it would probably be best to skip dessert, or maybe just order it for room service so that other people could have their table.

But just as Korra opened the door to their room again, the lights suddenly went out. "What was that?" she asked, not sure what to make of it.

-"Must be a power failure of sorts," Asami remarked. "Not surprising, given the weather outside. Just give it a minute, it'll come back on."

But it didn't. After five minutes, Korra started getting impatient. She spent most of her day waiting for people to tell her to fuck off, and now she ended up in a room that didn't even have light.

After ten minutes, Asami started getting a little twitchy as well. "Alright, this is taking them quite long, and I don't know how long the battery of my phone will last. I'll go ask someone from the hotel."

Another ten minutes later, she came back with a sour expression. "Which do you want to hear first, the good news or the bad news?"

 _Not good._ "I'll take the good first, thanks."

-"Well, the good news is that they have a diesel generator in the basement for cases like this. The bad news is that they forgot to fill it up with diesel after the last power outage."

"You've got to be kidding me."

Asami shook her head. "I promise you, I'm not. But I'm starting to get cold now, so this looks like a good time to break out the hoodies. Not like anyone can see me anyway."

Korra chuckled, and she helped Asami find her suitcase by holding the flashlight they had. She was fine for now, Korra was used to this weather, but getting power going again was kind of necessary. "So what now?" she ultimately asked.

-"Do you have any games that don't require light?"

"A few, but those all require drinks, and I don't have any on me." Then a thought appeared in her head. "Although..." She walked over to the minibar, and upon opening it, smiled when she saw that it was full of small bottles of alcohol. "All these poor bottles," she smiled. "We should really save them before they go bad."

Asami laughed. "Korra, those are 30 percent alcohol. Do you really think there's even a small chance something happens to them?"

"Well, can't be too careful. How about a game of Never Have I Ever?"

-"Fine," Asami continued to chuckle. "Guess it's as good a way as any to kill a boring evening."

"It's an even better way to kill your liver." Korra grabbed all of the bottles and threw them down on the bed, before sitting across from Asami. "One swig for everything you have done?"

-"Hmm..." Asami hummed. "How's your alcohol tolerance?"

"Pretty good. I grew up here in Alaska, we don't drink for fun, we drink to stay warm!"

This got both of them laughing, though Asami seemed to have her doubts. "Not sure that's really fair, I don't have any tolerance at all. Then again, my life has been pretty boring. Bring it on."

 _Oh boy. You're probably gonna get hammered again._ "Alright, since you're the challenger, you can begin."

-"Okay..." she mumbled. "Never have I ever... played a drinking game before tonight."

Korra could practically hear her grin through the darkness. "That's hardly fair, but okay." She took a quick swig, and tried to think of something that Asami would have done. Surprisingly difficult, given how they didn't know each other. Then she realized that the question she should ask was obvious. "Never have I ever... not taken a swig in 'Never Have I Ever'."

Asami took a drink at that one, but when she spoke up, she sounded surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah, mostly because our games turned into matches who could get the rest drunkest the fastest, and since I did a lot of things, I was an easy target." There was something weird about talking to someone she knew was there, but couldn't see. It really was pitch black in the room, and even though Asami couldn't be more than three feet away, Korra couldn't see her. "Come on, next one."

-"Alright, let's see... Never have I ever been to Washington D.C."

"Oh for the love of..." Korra quickly took a swig. "Never have I been to Tokyo."

Asami chuckled as she took a gentle sip of her small bottle. "Yeah, I guess I had that one coming, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did.

-"Okay, time to spice things up a little." Korra seemed to hear a little bit of a slur in her voice. "Never have I ever had sex in a car."

Korra took another swig of her bottle and smiled. "So we're already touching on sex. Kinky."

-"What's it actually like, sex in a car? Kind of wanted to try it, but it just feels a bit wrong."

The athlete chuckled. "It's a bit awkward and cramped, but then again, if you do it with someone you genuinely care about, it'll be a good story to tell. Plus, there's something exciting about stealing your dad's car to do it."

Asami laughed. "You didn't..."

"We did! Actually, she did. She was pissed at her dad, and he really loved his car, so she got her revenge by having sex with me on the driver's seat."

-"Wait, you're a lesbian?"

Korra suddenly felt a hint of fear go through her. What if Asami felt uncomfortable with that? They were in the dark, and were about to share a bed for the night. It felt intimate, and she couldn't deny that Asami was attractive to start with. She probably knew that herself, so that just left the question of whether or not she had a problem with it. Best course of action was probably just to gently probe. "Yes... Are you... okay with that?"

-"Sure I am," Asami laughed. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well... We are gonna share a bed soon, and you know, not everyone is equally open-minded about it."

Korra was a little surprised when she felt Asami reach for her hand across the bed, but it was a nice sensation. "Hey, I don't have any problems with it. You haven't done anything inappropriate, so I don't have anything to worry about."

This relieved Korra immensely. They continued to play their game for a little while longer, but it wasn't long before they were starting to feel the cold seeping in because of the broken heater.

Now that both of them were slightly tipsy, they quickly brushed their teeth and put on an extra layer before climbing under as many blankets as they had. It was close and intimate, mostly because of the darkness, but Asami somehow found a way to make that a little more apparent.

-"Korra?" she asked with a small voice.

"Yes?"

She hesitated for a moment. "I'm cold... Do you mind...? I mean, is it okay if we..."

Korra smiled. "You mean you want to cuddle?" For once, she wished she had light, because it was impossible for Asami not to be red as a tomato now.

-"Yes..." she admitted very softly.

It just made the athlete laugh. "Now who's being inappropriate?" she smirked. "It's okay though, sharing is caring, after all. Come here." Korra felt Asami scoot closer towards the center of the bed, and wrapped an arm around her waist, making her the little spoon. "That better?"

-"Yes," she replied on a whisper. "You're nice and warm, you know that?"

Korra chuckled. "I was born in this neck of the woods, yes, I know." She let out a content sigh, and relaxed into their new position. Asami was a little on the cold side, but they fit together nicely, and Korra wasn't too bothered about the cold in the first place. On top of that, Asami smelled nice.

That thought may have been a little creepy, but it was also true. Besides, she was spooning her, it was pretty hard _not_ to notice how she smelled, so she might as well enjoy that it was a pleasant smell, right?

Even though that was a pretty weak justification, Korra decided not to dwell on it. Instead, she relaxed into the body of the woman that she had an amazing night with, a woman that she hadn't even known before a few hours ago. Asami's words from earlier sprung to mind again, and it made her smile.

Asami was nothing if not fascinating.

* * *

 _Some of you may have picked up on it, but Korra's last name is a little nod to John Green's_ Looking for Alaska _. I've become a big fan of vlogbrothers recently. And of course, Asami's line of sharing is something that Iroh said to Toph in The Chase of ATLA. Love that line, and I thought it fitted surprisingly well here._


	22. Stays in Vegas (Vegas Part 2)

**Back in handcuffs...**

* * *

-"Korra, what the fuck happened last night?!" Asami asked once they had both calmed down a little from the shock of waking up like they did.

Korra tried to think, but drew a blank on everything that happened. "I... I don't know. I can't remember what happened." Out of instinct, she tried to rub her head, but was once again stopped by the handcuffs. "Can we have this discussion _after_ you cut me loose? Come on, there has to be a key around here somewhere."

-"Fine." Asami got off of her, and soon enough, spotted a key on the nightstand. As she moved around though, Korra felt through the mattress that her ex suddenly froze. "Umm, Korra? Does your... ass hurt?"

This took her by surprise. "Yes, how'd you know?"

-"You have a tail."

 _Are you fucking kidding me?!_ "A _tail_?!" This was when a light went on. Korra vaguely remembered from last night that she and Asami were playing around with a tail plug. _Now you know where that ended up._ "Do you have one too?"

Asami felt around, but it wasn't there. "No, but the cheek is kind of numb. Hang on, let me untie you first, then we can sort out our butt-problems." She suited her action to her words, finally freeing Korra's arms from the handcuffs.

Sleeping in that position was a really bad idea, since popping her shoulders back into their regular position of hanging by her side hurt like hell. But at least this was an easy mystery to solve. How she ended up with that fox tail plug was still a bit of a riddle, even if getting it out again was probably going to be uncomfortable.

By now, Asami had turned around, and she had only slipped on a shirt, giving Korra an eyeful of ass, _and what a glorious ass it is, damn you for breaking up with me,_ which solved yet another mystery. "Asami? Did you say your ass was numb?"

-"Yeah, why?"

"Because I know why. You might want to check it out in the mirror."

With a hint of worry on her face, Asami moved to the bathroom, where it didn't take long for her to let out an ear-piercing scream. As it turned out, prominently displayed on her left ass cheek was now a blue heart with Korra's name tattooed in it. "Holy _fuck_! This thing is real!"

"Yes, yes it is," Korra muttered to herself. She grabbed another shirt that was laying around, this one bright pink. _Good enough._ Pulling it on was difficult though, as it was surprisingly tight.

And then came the part that would probably hurt: Korra needed to get rid of that tail. It was dry, and pulling it out hurt as well. This was not going to be a good morning. Her head hurt, her back hurt, her shoulders hurt, her arms hurt, and now her ass hurt, even as the plug was free. _Meh, it's probably your own fault._

Looking around for pants also made her spot a strap-on, discarded next to the bed, no doubt put to good use by them last night. Eventually though, she found some pants and slipped those on as well. The athlete decided the best thing to do was look around the room for more clues, and they were plenty. Her phone was broken, _damn, now I have to buy a new one - **again** ,_ but doing so also made her spot something else. On her finger, there was definitely a silver ring that wasn't there last night. "Oh no..." she muttered. "This can't be happening..."

-"KORRA!" Asami yelled from the other room. "Why in the name of holy fuck is there a _marriage certificate_ with our names on it?!"

* * *

 **A day earlier, after landing...**

* * *

Things between Korra and Bolin were mostly back to normal. She could blame him for it, but Korra knew that her best friend could be a bit of a blockhead at times. He didn't know that Asami was her ex, and that he didn't quite get her name right over the phone wasn't something she'd put beyond him. He was probably quite genuine when he was trying to apologize to her, even though it wasn't really his fault.

During the flight, Korra just occupied herself with watching the new Guardians of the Galaxy, which actually turned out to be okay. Dumb fun, but fun nonetheless. It distracted her from the fact that she was on vacation _with her ex_. Sure, they weren't on terrible footing with each other, but just the idea of the whole thing rubbed her the wrong way.

Their seating in the plane was so that Bolin and Korra sat next to each other, while Mako and Asami sat two rows back. It went pretty smoothly, but nevertheless, Korra was glad when she set foot on the ground in Vegas again.

What was surprising was how tense it was once all four of them were reunited at the baggage checkout. Strangely enough, that tension didn't come from Korra and Asami, but rather Mako and Asami. It just felt like they were going to have a _long_ talk once they actually got some privacy in the hotel.

Both the athlete and the actor had only packed a carry-on bag, which was more than enough for a weekend as far as Korra was concerned. She never felt a need to change three times a day, so it was just three sets of clothes and one extra pair of underwear. So it was a little mystifying to see just how _big_ Asami's suitcase was. _Damn. You'd think the Red Cross could dress an entire village in Africa with that._

"You really need so much?"

-"Mako has some of his stuff in here as well, and it's not full." The answer was pretty close to how Asami sounded when she snapped at someone, telling Korra once again that something wasn't right between them. She decided it was best to let it rest for now, have them come out with it naturally at a moment of their choosing. For now, it was just a matter of getting to the hotel and checking in.

True to Asami's style, it turned out her father was a stakeholder in The Bellagio and that he could basically check in whenever he wanted, provided he gave the hotel a warning a few days in advance. Asami had used this benefit to get their rooms for free, hence why Bolin said that it was so cheap.

The taxi ride over was about as tense as waiting for their luggage, so when Asami split off from the group to check in, Korra decided to ask Mako. "What is going on between the two of you? When you arrived, you seemed perfectly fine, but now you two are tenser than a guitar string."

-"Nothing that concerns you," he snapped back.

"I think it does concern me, as you weren't this tense before you knew that me and Asami went out. She said it, it was a long time ago, and she clearly moved past it."

A dismissive shrug was all she got out of him, so Korra realized it was probably best to drop the subject there. Asami soon came back with their hotel room keys, having gotten one with a king-sized bed for herself and Mako and two queen beds for Korra and Bolin.

Since it was already late, they decided to make hay and quickly ditch their stuff in their rooms.

Korra thought the room she'd share with Bolin was nice enough. They had shared rooms before, and since he didn't snore, Korra wasn't really bothered by it. The room itself was simple but functional, enough space to ditch their stuff, showers that were too low, and at least they got a television.

-"Alright, we need a plan of action," Bolin commented once they'd settled in. "Things between Mako and Asami aren't good and it's up to us to fix it."

Korra raised an unconvinced eyebrow. "Bo, I'm pretty sure we'd only make things worse. Besides, I'm pretty sure they're this tense because of me."

The actor wasn't convinced. "I know my brother, and that's not it. There is something else going on."

It wasn't going to be easy. Asami wasn't comfortable enough to talk about it and Mako was too stubborn to admit it. Korra would have loved to think longer on it, but was rudely interrupted by a low growl from her stomach, making Bolin chuckle. "Apparently, you think we need food before anything else."

Korra chuckled, mostly because it was true. They'd gotten lunch on the plane, but now, she was seriously hungry. _Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned? Fuck that shit, hell hath no fury like a woman starved._ She went to get Mako and Asami, whose room was a few doors down, while Bolin went downstairs to save them a table.

But when she got there, she could definitely hear an argument going on, even through the door. Even though she was interrupting something, Korra decided knocking was the correct course of action here. As soon as she did this, the room went silent. "Who is it?" Mako called out.

"It's Korra. Bolin and I are going down for dinner, if you want to join us."

There was a bit of stumbling in the room, and then Asami opened the door. "Yes, we're in." Korra got a quick look at the room, and it looked like they hadn't gotten up to do much unpacking yet.

The elevator ride down was tense, even more so than the taxi ride to the hotel. The silence that hung in the cart was heavy, and didn't look like it was going to resolve itself.

Fortunately, Bolin was already waiting for them at a table, and he announced that he'd already ordered drink for all of them, confident that he knew what everyone wanted. Of course, there was very little risk in that, as Asami was the only uncertain factor. _And even then, you know - and told Bolin - that she loves a good red wine._

Surprisingly, dinner went well and wasn't that awkward. Sure, it was a little tense, but with some social lube in the form of alcohol, that was easy enough to ignore. Korra and Bolin had plenty of catching up to do, meaning Mako and Asami kept quiet for the most part, unless they were dragged into the conversation, one of those instances being a slightly awkward confession on Korra's side.

-"So, one thing I don't get," Bolin started after a brief lull in the conversation between the main course and dessert. "You broke up with Korra," he said, pointing to Asami. "And you were just okay with that, even though there wasn't any real reason to?"

"Well..." the athlete started, and rubbed her neck, because there was slightly more to it. "There was a reason, but more to the point, I did get my revenge."

Asami raised an eyebrow. "You what?"

"I _may_ have egged your car," Korra admitted with a small voice.

-"That was _you_?!" her ex exclaimed. "Korra, I had to sell that car!"

Bolin was confused. "What, over some eggs? Just hose it down once, should take care of itself."

Asami sat there with an annoyed expression, as if she was expecting the athlete to do the talking. "Korra?"

"It, umm... It kind of was a convertible, and... She left the roof off." She looked around, Asami still slightly angry, Mako expressionless, but Bolin was clearly struggling to keep in his laughter. _If you're very honest, it was a brilliant way to get your revenge for dumping you._

-"You knew how much I loved that car," Asami remarked. "The smell got into the carpets and the upholstery and everything, it was just horrible. Brand new Z4, black paint with red leather, and you forced me to sell it."

"Sorry," Korra mumbled. "I didn't know that part, and I was angry with you for breaking up with me. I just wanted to do something I knew you'd hate."

For some reason, this softened her up a little bit. "Well, I guess I did deserve something. I also should have known it was you, but I thought it was some punk kids, because I didn't think you were that petty. Apparently I was wrong."

"True, I was pissed, and you yourself admitted that I had every right to be. I'm sorry for that, I didn't know it would play out that far."

Asami nodded. "Fair enough. Apology accepted."

Bolin found the whole thing hugely entertaining, judging by the massive shit-eating grin he had sprouted. "Alright, but back up for a second. You said there was a reason, but what was that?"

The athlete looked over to Asami, who threw her a pleading look back. "That's between me and Asami." This reaction seemed to relieve her, and it made Korra smile as well.

-"Good, let's keep it that way," Mako grumbled.

This didn't seem to please Bolin, who'd been eyeing his brother up all meal long. "Alright, what's bugging you? You're in Vegas, dinner is being paid for you, and you're being a grump - even by your standards."

-"Alright, how would it feel to you if your girlfriend suddenly came out to you and told you she's a lesbian?"

Asami immediately went on the defensive. "I am not a lesbian!"

 _Yes you are._

-"Then what would you call a nearly year-long relationship with a woman?" Mako jabbed back. Asami didn't say anything, because she didn't have a good defense for herself. "It's weird, okay?"

-"Ahem," Bolin reminded Mako that Korra was at the same table as him. "You've never said that about Korra."

It did have the athlete a little surprised. "He's right, does that mean you think I'm weird as well? I've been with women my whole life. Hell, my first kiss was with a girl. Does that make me weird as well?"

Much to her surprise, Mako gave her more of a nod than a shrug. "Kind of. It's not the way things are supposed to be."

Korra scoffed. "Yeah, right, keep telling yourself that."

-"Look, I'm just not very comfortable sleeping with a woman who has been with other women."

-"Woman, singular." Asami stood up for herself. "Why are you being such a dick all of a sudden? Everything was fine this morning, and now you're suddenly turning into Bill O'Reilley!"

-"Well, maybe I just don't like learning that I've been sleeping with a freak for three months!"

After this, it went deathly silent at the table. After a few moments of disbelief, Asami simply stood up and walked away with large paces. There were a few people from other tables looking up, because the argument had got rather heated. "Bro, you just crossed the line," Bolin said after a while.

Korra had trouble keeping herself from reaching over the table and punching Mako's teeth out. "Give me your room key," she coldly told him while holding up her hand.

-"What?"

" _Key_. Do you really think Asami wants to be in a room with you right now, let alone sleep in the same bed as you?"

Mako hesitated for a moment, but Korra's burning look and Bolin's slow nod swayed him. "Fine," he said and handed it over.

When Korra stepped into the room, she was a little surprised. While the room she and Bolin shared was pretty simple, this was closer to a suite, with a separate bedroom and living room. But that didn't really matter right now. She'd expected Asami to be a mess, perhaps with her knees tucked up to her chest while gently sobbing on the bed, but no. Instead, she was standing at the window, arms crossed over each other while staring out over the city. "Hey, it's me," Korra opened.

At first, there was no reply. The athlete walked up to her ex, but decided it was probably best for now to just stand beside her. "You know, it's funny," Asami opened. "I almost expected something like this to happen soon."

"Something like what?"

-"A big fight between me and Mako. You know, I've dated six guys since I broke up with you, not counting Mako. None of them made it past the three-month mark. We're coming up on that soon."

Korra didn't really know what to say. "That doesn't mean it's your fault, Asami. Just bad luck."

She scoffed. "I aced math, Korra, ever since I was nine. I know the probability. Once, alright, nothing to worry about. Twice, sure, that's bad luck. But _six_ times? No, that means there is something wrong with me." Asami deeply sighed. "And I think I know what."

"Being gay doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you. Just means that you have different preferences, so what? I like pineapple on my pizza, does that mean there's something wrong with me?"

-"Yes, yes it does," Asami chuckled, and Korra laughed too.

"Alright, bad example. But you get my point, right?"

It was briefly silent again after this. "I don't know, Korra. You heard what Mako said down there, and I think he's right."

 _Goddammit. Exactly what you'd been worried about._ "Mako is an asshole! He doesn't like change and doesn't like surprises. This qualifies as both."

Asami threw her hand in the air in frustration while walking back into the room. "So what? It gets out to one person that I was with you, and he shoots me down because of it. Your argument isn't holding a lot of water right now."

"Except that it didn't get out to one person, you're only focusing on the bad. Bolin even went as far as standing up for you, for both of us, and he learned at the same moment Mako did. You just have to surround yourself with good people, and cut the bad ones off."

-"Korra, it's not that easy for me!" Asami yelled. Her composure was definitely slipping. The emotion of today was weighing on her, that much was obvious. "I don't just get _choose_ who is in my life and who isn't!"

The athlete sighed, and walked up to her ex to put a hand on her shoulder. "There is always a choice. You are as brilliant as you are beautiful, so you can do whatever you want."

She wasn't quite sure what reaction this would bring, but the one she got wasn't on the list. Slowly, Asami's expression broke, and a first sob escaped her. Then a second, and a third, and then she was full-on crying. Korra knew that the only thing to do was to pull her in for a hug, try to comfort her as much as possible. "There, there. Let it all out."

-"I know I'm gay, Korra, I know," Asami sniffled. "But I don't want to be! I just want to be normal, not the freak I am now."

Korra pulled away from the hug a little so that she could look her ex in the eyes. _Though 'friend' might be more appropriate right around now._ "You're not a freak, okay? No matter what anyone says." She took a quick look around the room, and spotted what she was after: a floor-length mirror. With a light push, Korra nudged them both to it, and turned Asami around to face herself. "Look... What do you see?"

-"Us, not much more."

"A beautiful young woman who has the world at her feet, that's what I'm seeing here." _Insert mandatory 'and you're here too'-joke._ "Definitely not a freak, okay?"

Asami still seemed a little hesitant, but not like she was earlier, more like there was an idea forming in her head. "Do you really mean that?"

"Of course I do! Asami, you have nothing to be ashamed of, you hear me? Being gay is _not wrong_ , and anyone who says differently can go fuck themselves." More tears formed in her eyes, and for a moment, Korra was worried. "Did I say something wrong?"

She shook her head. "No, I think you said exactly what I needed to hear." What she did next, had Korra stunned. Asami leaned in to kiss her fiercely on the lips.

 _Oh sweet holy Jesus._ On the one hand, _God,_ had she missed that sensation. The full but soft lips, applying the perfect amount of pressure, with just a hint of taste from her lipstick shining through, and it was warm and familiar and everything Korra had longed for in the six years since Asami broke up with her.

On the other hand... Asami was technically still with Mako, and now Korra was helping her cheat on her best friend's brother. Definitely a bro-code violation.

Reluctantly, Korra put her forearms to Asami's chest and crowbarred them apart, even if her head was still swimming with contradictory feelings. "Okay... wow..." she muttered, and glanced up at her ex, who seemed confused above all else.

-"Korra? I thought you wanted this?"

"I do, but..." She was quickly trying to collect her thoughts. "But is it really what you want, or is it just something impulsive?"

Asami chuckled. "I don't do impulsive, you know that." Korra's single raised eyebrow told her enough. "Okay, it was impulsive, but didn't it feel right to you?"

This time around, it was Korra who didn't have an answer, because... Well, _yes,_ it felt really right. Outside of the fact that Asami was a great kisser, _always has been_ , it just reinforced the idea that they were meant to be together. "It did, but..." She took a deep breath. "I don't think it's fair. Not to you, not to Mako. I mean, you owe him an explanation. And if not that, then at least a punch in the face so that he knows it's over."

Asami chuckled. "You know what, that's actually a really good idea."

Before Korra realized what was happening, the engineer was out of the room and halfway to Mako and Bolin's, where she began knocking loudly. "Mako, open up, I want to talk." With a knowing smile, she looked over to Korra and gave her a wink. _This can only end badly._

He did, and Korra could see that there wasn't a lot of remorse on his face. "You want to talk, then talk."

Asami slowly shook her head, and quickly punched him square on the nose, surprising even Korra with how hard it was. Mako was clearly caught off guard by it, as he fell back into the room, blood running down his face. _That is probably broken._ "We are definitely over," Asami said, and walked back to her own room.

-"Hey, wait!" he tried to get back up and follow her, but Korra stopped him by putting a hand on his chest.

"No, no," she smiled. "Bolin, Mako and I are switching rooms. Toss me my bag, will you?"

The younger brother did, and Korra then followed Asami.

-"God, that was satisfying," Asami smirked after the athlete stepped back into their room. "But I could do with a drink."

"Yeah, I think you need some ice on that hand as well," she remarked, because judging by how Asami was flexing and unflexing her hand, it looked like it hurt.

They both grabbed their ID's and credit cards and made for the bar in the casino below.

The music down there was surprisingly loud, and the place was about as stylish as one can expect from a Vegas casino, that is to say, not at all. The place was packed, the dancefloor already full of drunk people, but Korra and Asami simply made a beeline for the bar.

-"Can I get you ladies anything?"

"Beer for me and some ice for her hand," the athlete smirked.

-"Actually, I'll take a Long Island Iced Tea," Asami corrected. "Dulls the pain much better than an ice pack."

The bartender seemed to find their dynamic pretty funny. "How about I get you all of the above?"

Korra nodded. "Good plan." He soon had all of it prepared, and then handed Asami an ice pack and Korra the bandage. "You can tape up your friend here." After this, he left the two women to their own devices.

-"To dumping toxic people from our lives?" Asami asked, holding up her glass.

The athlete chuckled. "Yeah, I'll toast to that." She drank a first gulp of her beer, before turning back to her ex. "Alright, give me your hand, because if you wait any longer it won't stop any swelling." Asami complied and Korra quickly began her work, finding it strangely intimate. There had been an unasked question hanging between them about what should happen next. Their kiss felt good, but then again, Asami wasn't thinking clearly, and after the few seconds it took Korra to realize what was going on, she was responsible enough to break away.

After she was done, they both took a long sip of their drinks, trying to make it look like the silence between them wasn't a little bit heavy.

"So..." Korra ultimately broke it. "Do we have to talk about what just happened?"

Asami scoffed. "I dumped my boyfriend because he was a jackass, and I should point out that you were practically cheering me on."

"You know what I meant."

At this, she just sighed and took another drink. "I don't know, Korra. Do you want to talk about it?"

"We can't just _not_ talk about it. Doesn't work that way anymore."

Another silence feel between them, but Korra wasn't about to let Asami off that easily. _Fortunately, you don't have to._ "You're right, and you were right before. It was an impulse, and I'm bad at those. I was emotional and I abused your trust and maybe even lingering feelings and I'm sorry for that. It's probably a good thing you wrenched us apart."

Korra thought about this for a moment. "You don't have to be sorry, you know. It was... nice, I suppose."

Asami chuckled. "Yeah, I guess it was. Can we just not mention it again and focus on getting drunk tonight? Worry about the rest tomorrow."

"Sounds like a plan. Barman! Ten shots, if you please."

They did five each next to their already existing drinks, and those hit hard. _They do know how to party here in Vegas, that's for sure._

And then it got worse, because Korra suddenly saw Bolin wave to her from the entrance. "BRB," she told Asami, only when she got up, was forced to hang on to the bar.

-"You sure you can make it?" Asami laughed.

"I can do this!" _Yes, because nothing bad has ever happened after someone uttered that phrase._ Miraculously, the athlete made it across the dancefloor without falling over too many times, and Bolin immediately saw what was going on.

-"Are you drunk?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Little tipsy," Korra defended herself, even though it was a blatant lie. "What's up?"

-"Well, I came to check if Asami was alright, but I guess she is."

Korra smiled. "She's fine, nothing to worry about. How's Mako?"

-"Took him to the first aid. Asami busted his nose up pretty hard," Bolin chuckled. "He totally deserved it, but since he is my brother, I'm gonna go back up in a minute."

"Alright, enjoy your Samurai Jack marathon. Don't worry about us, we'll be fine," Korra assured him.

He didn't look entirely convinced, but gave in anyway. "Alright, don't do anything too crazy, okay?"

"You got it." Korra turned around, and even though she still had to cross the dancefloor again to get to the bar, she saw that something was up. Her ex held up a hand, signaling het to wave off to the bathroom.

Korra made it to the bathroom, where Asami was waiting for her. "What's wrong?"

-"Creepy guy won't leave me alone. Got any bright ideas?"

She thought for a moment before a smile appeared on her face. "A few. Go back to the bar, I'll be there in a minute. Whatever you do, just play along with me."

Asami didn't look convinced. "What are you planning, Korra?"

"Nothing bad. Trust me, I've done this before."

She still looked a little skeptical, but decided to fly with it anyway. _Maybe it's the alcohol impairing her judgment._ That sounded like a reasonable theory, given that Korra knew her ex was normally more inquisitive than this.

For now though, the athlete decided to put a little bit of time between them, making sure the creep wouldn't think anything of it. When she did go after her, it didn't take long to spot that Asami was telling the truth. As she was walking out of the bathroom though, Asami was paying attention to Korra and not to the guy, who slipped a small pill into her drink without her noticing it. Korra walked up to her and put a casual arm around her shoulders. "Hey, babe," she said, pressing a quick kiss on her lips. This definitely caught Asami off-guard, but she remembered what Korra had said in the bathroom, because she regained her composure soon enough.

This also gave Korra the opportunity to eye the guy up. Pale skin, but not the natural shade that fitted Asami so well, it was more sickly so. His hair was overdone and also just looked plain weird. Everything about him was off, but above all else that made Korra angry, it was the way he was looking at Asami, like she was just a piece of meat. "This guy bothering you?"

-"Yes, he is," Asami said.

Korra soon turned to him. "Sorry, buddy, but this train has left the station. Hell, even if it hadn't, it's not on your side of the tracks."

He stared at her incredulously. "You fucking dykes are a waste of everyone's time," he said, and then finally left.

Asami breathed a sigh in relief and took a sip of her drink, which was some sort of brandy, if Korra was to have a guess in her already seriously inebriated state. "Did you really have to do that?"

"Do what?"

-"Kiss me in public."

Korra sighed. "Christ, Asami, lighten up. A quick peck on the lips in a bar in Las Vegas to scare off a creep. No one is going to think anything of it. If nothing else, blame the combination of me and alcohol." It was silent for a moment after this, which gave her some time to think. _You're going about this the wrong way._ "You know what you need?" the athlete mused out loud. "You need a plan. Not just a random bar to hang out at and get shitfaced, a step-by-step plan to make you feel better."

This made Asami snort. "Right. And I suppose you have something for that as well?"

"I do, if you don't mind. Here's what you need: we are going to do five things tonight you've never done before."

Asami groaned and took another swig of her drink. "Really? You want me to think of five things I've never done before and then do them with you?"

The athlete simply shrugged. "Well, yeah. We're in Sin City, if you can't think of anything you've never done before here, _boy,_ have I got bad news for you."

-"Korra, I just got a drink," she said, taking another swig. "Just let me finish this."

This made her sigh. "Come on. I know you want to sulk, but you can't, not while you're in Vegas. You can do stupid shit here that no one will ever know you did after tonight." To expedite the process, she stole Asami's drink from the counter, and downed the remaining half in one go. "There, now you have no reason to hang around here any longer. We're going out in Vegas!"

Somewhat reluctantly, Asami let herself be dragged from her chair and to the door of the casino. Of course, what neither one of them knew was that the alcohol and the drugs in their system would ensure that A) their judgement had gone completely, and B) neither of them would remember what happened after this moment.

* * *

 _Alright, Part 2 here. At first, this and the next one was gonna be one chapter, but it grew a little big. (That one is probably going to be roughly the same size as this one.) One thing is for sure though: I had a lot of fun writing this, and I'm probably gonna have fun as well with that. Laters!_


	23. The Mercenary

"Give me a double scotch," Asami said, not really caring about anything anymore. She was on the wrong side of town in a club that she didn't want to be with a crowd that she didn't trust, and the one person she knew here had set her up. And just to add insult to injury, it was on Valentine's day.

The tattooed bartender (arrows on his forehead and both hands) raised an eyebrow. "Are you alright?"

"Pretty sure I'm not. Now how about that drink?"

He didn't ask any further questions, and instead poured her her order. "4.75, if you will."

This was about the point that Asami realized she didn't have anything on her. "Fuck," she swore, trying to feel her skinny jeans for pockets, which were of course all empty. "My boyfriend ditched me, my wallet is still in his car."

The bartender gave her a sympathetic look, but pulled the glass away from her anyway. "Sorry sweetheart, no free rides here."

-"Put it on my tab, Tenzin," came a voice from her right. A _female_ voice, no less.

Asami turned to her right, seeing a woman there, and she didn't really know what to think. One the one hand, there was a beer in her hand, she was smoking a cigarette, and she had a tribal tattoo on her face, forming a hook around her eye. The side of her head was shaven, and it had a tribal pattern running over it as well, though not the same one that adorned the side of her face. Her lower lip, nose, and eyebrow were all pierced, as was her ear. However, the ear was far more extensive, having at least five piercings, that's if she didn't count the long bar stretching across it for two. Her wifebeater also left nothing to the imagination: both of her muscular arms were fully covered with tattoos, shoulders to wrist. That wasn't even entirely fair, because she was wearing fingerless leather gloves, and the tattoos also went over her left shoulder and extended to under the fabric.

It had to be said though, she still looked really good. The wifebeater accentuated her muscular build, and between the way she was casually smoking a cigarette and drinking a beer, paired with her combat boots and leather pants, it was clear that she didn't give a fuck what anyone thought of her. Her face was lined with a slight smirk, also present in her fantastically blue eyes. Shaving one side of her head wasn't something Asami would ever consider, but it looked good on her. She still had enough hair left to make a high tail out of it, and combed the rest over the side of her head.

-"Fair enough," Tenzin replied, sliding the glass back to Asami. "Enjoy."

"Thanks," Asami said, throwing her an appreciative look.

The woman slid in a little closer. "Rough night?"

"Yeah, you can say that again. What gave me away?"

She chuckled. "Well, not to be rude, but you're not really the usual crowd of this place. No visible ink or piercings, conservative clothes even though you're hiding a great figure... Wasn't a difficult leap."

Asami sighed and took a sip of her drink, and immediately started coughing from how strong it was.

-"That's also a pretty clear indication," the woman smirked. "What's your name, sweetheart?"

At this point, Asami was doubting about telling her the truth or just coming up with a lie of sorts. This woman didn't look like she was up to any good, but then again, appearances can be deceiving. So far, she hadn't done anything to suggest exactly that. Still, it's only a name, how much harm could that do? "I'm Asami," she said.

-"Korra. Nice to meet you." She took a content sip of her beer, letting her eyes slide over Asami's figure. "So what happened?"

"What do you mean?"

Korra chuckled. "Well, you said your boyfriend ditched you here, so I'm guessing that's over."

Asami let out a morbid chuckle herself. "Yeah, that is very over. I was already having doubts, and then he took me here to tell me that he was fucking some whore. On Valentine's day, of all days!"

-"My, my, what a mouth on such a lady," Korra laughed.

"Not what you expected?"

-"Not really, no." She took a drag of her cigarette, eyeing Asami up again. "You don't like it here, but you don't have anywhere else to go, do you?"

Asami sighed. "Well... I left my phone and wallet in the car, which my boyfriend took. Can't call for a ride home and I can't take a cab."

A smirk appeared on Korra's face again. "So you spend your time here with me, waiting for a miracle to happen." She crushed the butt of her cigarette in a nearby ashtray, and took a new one from the box she had lying in front of her on the bar. "Smoke?"

"No thanks," Asami waved the offer away. Part of her wanted to take it, as she had smoked in a distant past, but quitting had been hard for her. She didn't want to start again. It had been her one little act of rebellion, but when her father found out, he immediately cut her off until she quit. No need to try that again.

-"So what is your big plan to get home?"

"I'm still working on that," Asami said, and took another sip of her drink, feeling the alcohol burn in her throat.

-"I could give you a ride."

This had her flabbergasted. "Excuse me? Do you just say that to anyone?"

Korra smiled again. "Well, it seems like you list of options isn't very long right now, and I'm probably one of your best bets here. Most others will be twice your age and three times your weight, but they'd be more than happy to make you a similar offer. At a fee of course, and I don't think it's the kind of fee that you'd wanna pay."

At first, Asami was a touch puzzled, but it didn't take long for the penny to drop. "Ah, no, that's not really what I'm after. But what's in it for you?"

-"Can't I just do something nice for a damsel in distress?"

Asami smiled. "Is that what I look like to you?"

-"Yes."

She snorted. "FYI, you don't look like the charitable type either," Asami playfully bit back.

Korra thought for a while, before jutting out her lower lip and giving her a short nod. "Fair enough. It's the tattoos, isn't it?"

This was where she began to hesitate, because what do you say to something like that? "Well..."

-"Relax, I know what you're thinking; tattoos on her face, she'll never have a job that pays taxes. I know the chart, I know the sentiment. But you can believe me when I say that I wouldn't have offered you a ride if I wanted to hurt you."

Asami still wasn't certain whether or not she could trust this woman. Common sense said no, but then again, it was slim pickings around here and her options weren't very expansive. "You understand my doubts, right? The mantra of 'don't get into cars with strangers' still rings pretty loud in my head."

A slight smirk played over Korra's lips. "Good thing I'm not here by car then," she said, leaning back on her stool. On the one next to her lay a leather jacket and a dark purple crash helmet with a blacked out visor.

"You've got to be kidding me," Asami incredulously said. This was _definitely_ not what she had been expecting. She shook her head, thinking she was insane for even considering this. "What am I doing? I don't know anything about you, what you do, who you are, what you want, so why am I even thinking about this?"

-"Because you're stuck for options," Korra deadpanned. "But if you insist on knowing more about me, here it goes: my name is Korra Illouq, I'm a mercenary currently out of a job, never go out without my .45 on me, it's currently in my jacket, though most of the jobs I do end quietly. I'm not an assassin, I don't enjoy hurting people, I will do it if necessary, and they call me the Patron Saint of the Pitiful. Ask him," she said, gesturing to Tenzin.

-"It's true," the bartender piped up. "She's pretty soft-hearted for someone in this business."

Korra wasn't so easily silenced though. "In my free time, I like good booze, good company, anything fast enough to do something stupid with, or videogames if I'm feeling lazy. My favorite food is pizza and the only one in my life I currently care about is my dog Naga. Want to know anything else?"

Asami was flabbergasted. Knowing this much, and a lot of it seemed to be illegal, it was just too much. "That's a lot of information to process in 30 seconds," she said, rubbing her temple. After taking another sip of her drink, Asami sat up again. "Alright, you said you're a mercenary. You don't want to get paid for this?"

At this, Korra just smiled again. "For a ride home, I simply charge you a phone number."

Asami sighed, because even though she didn't like it, Korra was probably one of the least bad options here. A quick look around showed at least three men eye-fucking her, staring either at her breasts or her ass. The least she could say for Korra is that she had the decency to look her in the eyes. She was probably going to regret this. "Alright," she said. "I'll take you up on that offer."

A playful smile crept over Korra's face. "Sweet."

* * *

 _Alright, two things I feel I need to emphasize a little bit more: one. Don't judge a book by it's cover. Two. don't drink and drive, which is what Korra is doing here. Anyway, I wanted to do something for Valentine's Day (and the anniversary of Morning Are Evil, technically speaking), but what I had planned wasn't ready. I made a bet with Korrafaangirl, who did almost all of the artwork you see next to my stories, that if she made "a smexy Korrasami" drawing, I would write her a one-shot around it. This isn't that story, since neither the drawing or that one-shot are ready. This is just something I wrote once and never actually published. Take care, people!_


	24. Saturday

Asami woke up to the best smell in the world - that of breakfast being cooked.

Truth be told, this wasn't a surprise, since Korra loved to cook. She hated getting out of bed early in the morning, and the only reason she could will herself to do so, was for food, or sometimes to go on a run.

Asami knew this, having recently moved in with her, and the three years prior they had spent in a relationship. Korra could be a touch grumpy if she was forced from her bed early, but overall, it was too adorable to care.

For a moment, Asami contemplated just waiting here for her girlfriend to come and bring her breakfast in bed, or at least, she could hope for that. It was Saturday after all, so it was Asami's turn to be lazy. She worked hard all week, and now, she could be slightly more laid-back.

On the other hand, it was quite warm already, even though the alarm clock only read 9:00 AM. It promised to only get warmer, and their bedroom was the one place where the air conditioning wasn't brilliant.

With a sigh, Asami threw the single sheet off, and suddenly remembered that she was down to just a pair of panties because she was really hot during the night. It didn't bother her and Korra _definitely_ didn't object either, so Asami decided she was dressed enough to make her approach to the kitchen. She pulled her hair into a messy bun, because that would make eating a lot easier.

Due to the way their kitchen was laid out, this was very easy. She could quietly walk up there, helped by the fact that she was barefoot, snatch an apron and tie it on, all without being seen. Korra's back was turned, and since her sixth sense was the last thing to wake up in the morning, she didn't notice a thing.

Or course, Korra was probably even more susceptible to hot weather, being from a cold climate herself, which is why it wasn't a surprise to see her in a sportsbra and running shorts of her own, plus the bubble-apron that was a bad impulse-buy. Her long hair was not yet in the pony-tails she normally had in, and instead, she had gone for the same route as Asami and put her hair up in a messy bun to keep it out of her face.

Smiling, Asami walked up behind her, wrapped her arms around Korra's waist, and pressed a kiss on her neck. "Hmm... Smells amazing."

-"Good morning to you too," Korra smiled back.

"Morning, sweetheart." Asami gazed over the food that had already been prepared, and it literally made her mouth water. "Bacon, eggs, coffee, strawberries... You're going all out, aren't you?"

-"I wanted to bring you breakfast in bed, but now you're already here, that's gonna be hard."

"True, very true," Asami smiled. She continued to kiss her girlfriend's neck, because _damn_ , did she look good right now. It was too hard to resist, so she slipped her hands under Korra's apron, feeling the subtle pattern of her abs there.

-"Hmm... 'Sami..." Korra contently moaned. "Stop..."

This took her by surprise. "What?"

-"First food, then sex."

Asami chuckled. "You have some weird priorities, you know that?"

Korra turned her head, smiling back. "I do. Now why don't you go and get the paper while I finish this?"

"Not without a kiss," the pale woman replied, moving to her girlfriend's side, where she promptly got the kiss she asked for.

Just as Asami turned around to go get the paper, Korra noticed something. "'Sami?"

"Hmm?"

-"Are you wearing anything underneath that apron?"

"Of course I am," she replied, quasi-offended.

-"Other than underwear?"

At this, she could only give the 'fair enough'-nod. "Busted..." Asami smirked. "Still, you're not really in a position to judge me for my attire."

Korra laughed too. "Good point. Let's just hope my parents don't decide to suddenly grace us with a visit."

"Yeah, that would be awkward. More for me than for you, but they like me anyway."

-"That's true, and my dad actually might like you even more if you answer the door dressed like that. 'Dressed'," she repeated, making air quotations.

Asami chuckled. "Yeah, I guess he would, but this right here is for your eyes only. Or your hands, your lips, your tongue... Whatever you want to use, really," she continued, smirking at her girlfriend.

The darker woman laughed again, and finally leaned in, pulling Asami in close. It sent a flash of heat through her, the firm, muscular arm wrapped around her waist, the way Korra's hot breath was streaking over her lips, how her finger was tracing up her arm, over her collarbone, down to her chest... If she wanted to get Asami riled up, that was the way to do it.

-"You get your wish..." Korra purred, pressing a kiss on her lips. "Just one thing..."

"What's that?" Asami breathed, feeling arousal taking control of her.

-"How do you want your eggs?"

They both laughed as the pale woman pushed them apart again, and Korra quickly moved back to her pan. "Is it wrong for me to say 'fertilized'?" Asami asked.

-"That is going to be difficult regardless of when we have sex. Choice is between scrambled and sunny side up."

" _Fine_ ," Asami groaned. "Sunny side up, please."

-"There we go, now we're getting somewhere." Korra stoically went back to the eggs, and reluctantly, Asami went to get the newspaper from the front lawn of their modest house. She quickly spied around the window to make sure her creepy neighbor wouldn't take pictures of her like this, and after making sure the coast was clear, stepped out to actually get it.

When she got back, Korra was just done putting the finishing touches on the breakfast table, and smiled as she did. "Well, _bon appetite_."

The pale woman smiled as she dug in. "Hmm, Korra, this is great. I hate to admit this, but you may have been right about this whole 'breakfast before sex'-thing."

-"Coming from you, that means something," Korra chuckled.

As Asami opened the paper, she saw her girlfriend eyeing it up as well. "You want the sports section?"

-"Yes, please."

She chuckled, and quickly sought it out to hand it over. They continued to quietly enjoy their breakfast on this nice Saturday morning, until Asami noticed that Korra kept rubbing at her arm, where she had recently got a tattoo done. "Stop rubbing it, or you'll have to go back."

Korra sighed. "I know, I know. It finally stopped itching like crazy, but I just can't help it. It's just that... Well, I finally got it, you know?"

Asami smiled. She knew how long Korra had been thinking about getting that tattoo to reflect her origins. She was proud of that, and Asami knew to respect it. Besides, on an arm that muscular, it practically gave them both a scale to measure how much she was flexing. "Yes, it means a lot to you, I know it does. But you'll still have to stop rubbing it."

-"Alright, I'll stop." She turned back to her paper, but that wasn't all. Asami was simply enjoying her breakfast when she suddenly felt something stroking up her leg, and she quickly realized it was Korra's foot.

Half of her wanted to say something, but the other half knew that if she would, she'd basically hand Korra the victory on a silver platter. Instead, Asami stoically kept on reading the paper, but this was only a signal for her girlfriend to turn up the heat a little more. Because of their narrow table, it was easy for Korra to slip her foot up a little bit more, now moving on to stroking the inside of Asami's thigh.

Asami could feel a first flash of heat go through her, the same one she'd had at the counter. Desperate not to show her arousal, she lifted her newspaper a little bit higher so that she could bite her bottom lip without Korra noticing, which was key here.

-"How are the eggs?" she asked, innocent like a lamb.

"Delicious," Asami answered, which was true. Of course, she kept it brief, because by this point, her girlfriend's foot had found it's way up a little more, and she was now very lightly brushing her toe over Asami's panties. Even more troubling, Asami could feel herself getting slightly wet, and was sincerely hoping it wasn't noticably going through the fabric yet.

This was made even worse when her girlfriend just touched Asami's clit, causing her to let out a soft, breathy moan.

-"I win," Korra smirked.

"Fine, you did," Asami admitted, and she quickly got up from the table to pull Korra into a sloppy kiss. Quickly, she undid the knot on the back of Korra's apron, slipping it loose and pulled it over her head, but when Asami leaned back in to kiss her again, she was stopped with a finger on her lips.

-"Alright, I'm going to take a shower. Would you mind cleaning up?"

Asami loudly groaned as she threw her head back in annoyance. "What does a girl have to do to get laid these days?"

Korra smiled as she walked towards the shower. "Clean up the kitchen." After this, she pulled her sports bra over her head, exposing her naked back to Asami. She turned her head around with a mischievous smirk lining her face, and still used her arm to cover herself up. "Of course, you could also just join me in the shower."

This was not something Asami needed to be told twice.

* * *

 _Alright, little bit of history on this: the idea popped to mind after I saw chmartx' artwork of this, and I just felt like I had to write it. I contacted her, and she very graciously allowed me to use the art that you should absolutely look up on tumblr. Thank you very much for that. Then I got some of it done, but it kind of faded into the back of my mind, until Kainorian asked me about it again, and she egged me on to finish it, so I did._


	25. Public Transport

Truth be told, Asami didn't really know why she was here. Oh wait, yes she did, it's because those dickheads in the garage wouldn't get a move on with fixing her car. It probably would have been easier to do it herself, but she was stuck for time and they _assured_ her it would be done by tomorrow.

Of course, by now, 'tomorrow' was last week, so she'd have had plenty of time to fix it over the weekend, Sunday morning would have been good enough. Fucking pricks. If only her little Alfa had broken down on a Friday instead of a Wednesday, she could have just done it herself. Probably even be nice, a little bit of tinkering, but nope, garage was the only option.

But Asami still had to get from A to B, and was thus condemned to public transport for the time being.

This was a problem on more than one level. For starters, it was slow. Even the traffic-excuse that so many people fall back on when defending it wasn't holding any water right now. Because of the way she had to get around, busses were the only real option. Subways would take even longer and taxis would get very expensive very quickly, and even Asami didn't have that kind of money.

Then there was the main reason she hated public transport: the people. Good _God_ did she hate the people. It didn't help that she was already something of an introvert and would avoid meeting new people if it was at all possible, but this made life extra difficult. Because it was also the line that many college students had to take from a large off-campus dorm to downtown, it was always busy, meaning that it was cramped and warm at the best of times. At worst, someone plonked next to her who either smelled like they hadn't had a shower in a week or spent the entire trip staring at her breasts. Asami didn't even get that last one, her breasts weren't _that_ amazing.

All in all, she couldn't wait for her car to be fixed so that she would never have to suffer through the misery of public transport again.

Today was definitely one of the worst days so far. It was Friday, which meant that many students went out partying, and Asami'd had the longest day ever. It was one in the morning, and she was actually feeling quite good as she left her office. Yes, it was preposterously late, but on the other hand, she did get to finish those blueprints she'd been trying to do all week but never got around to.

Everyone kept disturbing her, and Asami worked best on those kinds of things when she was on her own. Reading through contracts and other files was fine if she was disturbed every now and again, but for designs, she needed to be 'in the zone', which she most certainly had been tonight, and she left high on her sense of accomplishment.

But again, that only lasted until her bus came. It was full of rowdy drunken college students, which was the worst kind. Yes, she knew how old that made her sound even though she hadn't hit 30 yet, but it was true. After a day like she just had, all she wanted was a nice trip home and a warm bed where she could sleep until about eleven, have a nice brunch and maybe finally catch up with Black Sails.

A quick assessment of the passengers didn't give her much hope, but there was some good news. One free pair of seats, and behind them were two older students, one man who looked passed out, and a woman who looked like his girlfriend taking care of him. They were higher to make room for the engine and drivetrain, she knew, but it was good enough for her. At least they'd be quiet.

For the most part, they actually were, and Asami wasn't bothered by them at all. Everyone else was loud, but at least that ensured she wouldn't miss her stop.

Everything went fine, until they were nearly at the dorm, something which she was actually looking forward to. Most of the students would get off there, meaning the bus would be a lot more quiet for the remainder of the journey, which was another 25 minutes.

That was, until Asami heard a distressed voice come from behind her.

-"Oh God, Bo, NO!"

Too late. By the time Asami processed it and started to turn around, she felt something warm splash on her back, and instantly knew what it was. She didn't even need to wait for the acrid smell, even though that did confirm her worst fears. She jumped up, brimming with anger. "What. The. FUCK!"

The woman looked guilty above all else. "I'm so sorry!" She quickly said. "Bolin had too much to drink, he couldn't help it!"

"So he throws up on me?!" Asami yelled back, eyes spitting fire. She looked over to the man, who looked pretty much too dazed to be aware of what he just did.

-"How far do you have to go?"

"End of the line."

-"That's really far. You can come take a shower at my place, it's at the next stop, I'll give you some clean clothes, and, uhh... we'll pay for the dry cleaner!" She quickly added.

Asami eyed her up. Even though it wasn't her fault, she did look genuinely guilty about the whole debacle. Even her beautiful dark skin couldn't cover up the fact that she was turning beet red, and her big blue eyes were definitely in puppy-dog setting. "Fine." She was still angry, but directing that at this woman who appeared to be genuine about her offer and her guilt wasn't going to get them anywhere. She decided to stand for the last little bit, arching her back in such a way that she didn't have to feel the wet and sticky sensation on her back as much.

Soon, they came to a halt again, and the woman told Asami to get off before helping the man out of his seat, albeit with some difficulty.

"What's your name?" Asami finally asked.

-"Korra. This knucklehead here is Bolin, he's been a royal pain my ass for the past ten years," she said, trying to lighten the mood a little bit.

It worked. Asami did actually find herself smiling a bit. "Asami," she replied.

-"I'm on the second floor," Korra pointed up. "Just gotta dump this asshole somewhere inside and then I'm all good." She was practically carrying him, and much to Asami's surprise, it didn't even appear to strain her very much, even though he must have been at least 40 pounds heavier than her. Probably had something to do with those massive biceps of hers.

Asami mentally slapped herself out of it. She wasn't here to gawk at some college jock, she was here to shower, rid herself of vomit and then get going again as soon as humanly possible.

Much to her surprise, Korra just put him in a corner of the lobby. "Wait, you're just going to leave him here?"

-"Meh, he's been through worse," Korra shrugged. "When he wakes up, he'll be able to find his way back to his own room. Come on, I'll take you to the shower." She proceeded Asami up the stairs, and they soon ended up at her room. "Try to ignore the mess, I wasn't expecting visitors."

That wasn't an exaggeration. There were clothes and books everywhere, almost like a bomb had exploded in there and no one had really made an effort to clean it up again. There were a few varsity swim team posters, which did explain Korra's muscular frame. She immediately made for the dresser, which, outside of the bed, was only one of few pieces of furniture in the room.

-"Here," Korra said, holding out a towel. "Do you want...underwear as well?" She asked, turning red again.

"No thanks, I think I'll manage with a shirt and some pants for now."

-"Right." She dove back into the dresser, and quickly pulled out a pair of grey sweatpants and a plain white T-shirt. "There, that should do it. Shower is left out the door, first door on your right. There is a small cupboard with my name on it if you want shampoo and such. Help yourself to whatever you think you need."

Asami smiled. "Okay, thanks." She made her way to the bathroom, which had two sinks, a row of cupboards, and two separate shower cabins. Finding Korra's cupboard was easy enough, though picking out the right shampoo wasn't.

Undressing finally gave her a chance to look at the damage done to her clothes, which was a jacket and a pencil skirt. Nothing _that_ special, but it was still a combination she liked, and now they both had vomit on them. Great. Her blouse also smelled horrible, so that was going to need a mountain of detergent to get clean again.

At least the shower here was good. The water quickly turned warm and there was enough pressure on it to make it feel like a reasonable amount of water was flowing over her hair, which, worryingly enough, also had been hit. Downsides of having long hair, though in her defense, Asami never took into account that she might get vomited on.

Shower over, it was time to get dressed again, and she suddenly wished she'd have taken Korra's offer for clean underwear. As it turned out, the vomit had soaked through her jacket and blouse, and had also stained her bra to beyond the point where she wanted to wear it.

Well, nothing she could do about that from here, so instead, she just slipped into whatever clothes that were that that could still count as clean and headed back to Korra's room.

-"Ah, there you are. Had a nice shower?" Korra asked.

"Very nice, thank you. Do you have something for me to carry these in?"

-"Sure, give me a sec." She searched around the room for a while, before pulling a plastic bag out of the heaps of junk. "Is this good enough?"

Even though it wasn't brilliant, Asami wasn't about to complain. "Yes, that'll work." As she was putting her clothes away, she noticed that Korra was fidgeting. "Something wrong?"

-"Well... I think that in all the commotion, we forgot something important."

"What's that?"

-"We were already on the last bus for the night."

"Fuuuuuck..." Asami softly groaned. It was true, she even knew that, but it had totally slipped her mind. Not surprising really, she was a bit preoccupied, but this did mean that she was stuck here. "So now what?"

Korra stood up. "Well, I changed the bed while you were in the shower, so it's clean. You can stay here for the night."

She thought it over for a moment. It wasn't ideal, but neither was going home. Walking would take an hour, and in just a T-shirt, that would be a bit on the brisk side. Taxi was an option, but that was going to be expensive. Still, this was a case in which the ends justified the means. "No, I'm calling a taxi. I appreciate the offer, but I really want to get home again and sleep in my own bed. Hope you understand."

-"Yeah, I get it." Strangely enough, Korra looked a little bit disappointed as she said that. "You want something to wear on top of that? You're, umm... poking through."

Asami looked down at her chest, and saw that her nipples were poking through the simple white shirt like pebbles. She went red with embarrassment. "Right, uhh, yes please," she stammered, folding her arms over her chest. "It's not very warm in here."

Once again, Korra delved into her closet. "You're right, it's not. I'm from a colder climate myself, I don't feel it. Here, this should do the trick." She held out a blue hoodie that was lined with something that looked incredibly soft.

Asami slipped it on, and did notice that it wasn't a lie. This was one _comfortable_ hoodie. Paired with her boots, it was a hopeless combination, but then again, it was better than going home in clothes reeking of vomit. She quickly stepped outside for a minute to call for a cab, and when she got back in, Korra had changed into a pair of blue pajama pants and a white tank top. Kind of amazing, considering the temperature of the room. "What should I do with these?" Asami asked, gesturing to the bag with her own clothes.

-"I know a drycleaner to take them to, he always delivers good work," Korra replied. "I was thinking of doing that in the morning, and you'll have them back by Monday. Maybe you should leave your number here for when they're clean again."

At this, Asami had trouble not raising an eyebrow. She was picking up a particular 'vibe' from Korra, and even though it was all but certain, it was definitely there. "Yeah, I suppose that's fair enough." She dug through her purse and fished out a business card, simply putting it on the table. After this, it fell silent between them. They'd only met an hour ago, and had it not been for Bolin, they'd have remained strangers forever. "So..."

Korra chuckled. "I guess."

A topic suddenly sprung to Asami's mind. "Alright, tell me this: what is Bolin to you that you're going through all this trouble for him?"

She took a moment to answer. "He...he's my best friend. He stuck with me through some pretty rough times in my life. We've been friends since high school, and always got into so much trouble together, but it was always just us against everyone else. Guess this little bit of trouble is worth it. At least for me, and I'm not the one who got vomited on. I'll punch him in the face for that in the morning."

Again, Asami chuckled. "Not sure that will be necessary. Is that why you aren't drunk, to take care of him?"

Now it was Korra's turn to laugh again. "Hell no, I just gave up alcohol a year ago. Figured it was a good idea after this disaster," she said as she lifted the hem of her top and nudged down her pants just a tiny little bit.

This allowed Asami to see two things, both of which she liked: firstly, the fact that there was a subtle pattern of abs tracing over her stomach, and secondly, two interlocking Venus-symbols tattooed right above the hem of her pants, and, probably something Korra wasn't trying to show, just above the first hint of neatly trimmed hairs. It definitely made Asami blush. "Got this when I was massively drunk, apparently a couple of girls from my swim team convinced me it was a good idea to do it and show the world that I'm..." She suddenly hesitated and fell silent.

"A lesbian?" Asami blurted out, not even thinking twice about it. She regretted it the moment she said it, but by that time, it was already too late.

She sighed as she let her head hang. "I am. They told me to get it in a place where, if people would see it, they'd already be too far gone to care," she morbidly chuckled. "When I'm wearing one of those swimming condoms, you can't see it anyway."

Asami chuckled. "Hey, don't worry about it," she said, sensing Korra's unease. "You know what they say about birds of a feather?"

This confused her, but after a few moments, the penny dropped. "Ah, gotcha. I'm not proud of that tattoo, but on the other hand, it is true and getting it removed would be _fucking_ expensive, so, yeah, I guess they're right for the time being."

"Well, it's nothing to be ashamed of."

-"True. Hell, I'd bet you any money some of those girls are wishing they could have a go at this," she said, flexing her impressive biceps.

Asami laughed, in spite of the nakedly obvious attempt at trying to impress her. "I guess they would." Right on cue, a buzz came from her phone. "Well, that's my taxi. I guess I'll hear from you later?"

-"Guess so. Don't worry about the money, Bolin will pay the bill," she said with a smirk.

"You can make him do that?" Asami asked with an unimpressed eyebrow raised.

Korra showed her slanted smirk again. "I can make him dress in drag and do the hula for you." They both laughed as they were picturing that. "In the morning, he'll know what he did, and then he'll pay. He's not a bad guy."

Asami nodded. "Alright, then I'll wait for your call." She held out her hand. "Thanks for everything."

She shook it, with a firm but good grip. "You're welcome. Again, sorry for what Bolin did."

"Well, could be worse. See you around, Korra." With this, she really was out the door and walking to her taxi.

It took her back to her apartment, which was small but cozy. By now though, Asami was absolutely knackered, and decided that ridding herself of Korra's hoodie was good enough, so she flopped onto her bed, ready to sleep until noon.

While she didn't quite make that, the clock read 10:30 by the time she woke up, which was good enough for now. Not even thinking too much about it, she slipped back into Korra's hoodie and made breakfast, thinking about was she was going to do today.

The blouse she had been wearing yesterday was one of her favorites, and there was a chance it would never fully be clean again. Also, she could use a new white blouse. Maybe going to the mall a couple blocks over wasn't a bad idea. Heck, it might even be a nice walk. Clear her nose after so many long days locked in an office building.

Deciding that was a good plan, Asami quickly dressed herself properly and got going, enjoying the crisp air of early spring.

She'd always liked shopping, but unfortunately, she didn't really have a lot of time for it lately. Mostly it was just going out to buy exactly what she needed, no more browsing like she used to enjoy. Today actually let her do that, so in addition to the new white blouse she needed, she also bought a new belt and a scarf that she just couldn't leave there.

Feeling quite content with herself, Asami figured that after getting some lunch, she should be going back again. There was a shop here that sold the most amazing sandwiches, and joy of joys, it wasn't too expensive either. But getting there wouldn't be as easy as she thought.

It was in sight, but Asami suddenly found her path blocked by what felt like a solid wall that she could have sworn wasn't there a second earlier.

-"Holy shit," the wall said, and she knew that voice. "Asami?"

She looked up, and it confirmed her suspicions. "Korra? What the hell are you doing here?"

Korra looked a little uneasy. "I... was taking your clothes to the drycleaner here," she said, pointing to the shop behind her. "Had swimming practice earlier this morning, and figured now would be a good time to do it."

Asami eyed her up a little bit more, and she did look like she was wearing comfortable clothes, loose jeans and an even looser hoodie, this one with the swim team logo. Her short hair was still a touch damp, so it couldn't have been too long since she got out of the shower. "Ah. Well, thanks for that. How's Bolin?"

-"Alive," Korra chuckled. "Though with the hangover he has, I'm betting he's regretting a few decisions he's made." Asami laughed as well, and then it fell silent between them. This was when Korra decided to make a break for it. "Well, I guess I should be going home. Nice seeing you again."

As she walked away, Asami couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt go through her. "Korra, wait," she stopped her, and she did turn around. "Would you..." She hesitated. "What you did last night... I think you went above and beyond what you needed to do. Would you like to get some lunch with me? I'm paying. There's a great sandwich shop just down there."

Korra smiled. "I'd love to."

Getting lunch with her was really nice. They talked about loads of things, and it turned out that Asami's first assessment of Korra not being much younger than her was accurate. She was about two or three months away from finishing her thesis, while Asami had only finished college last year. There was something about the swim team and their adventures, a few more curses aimed at the garage that had Asami's car, and before they knew it, an hour and a half had passed and they were getting a few disapproving looks from the staff as they were occupying the table for so long.

This was probably a good moment to leave. When they stood outside the mall, they were about to go their separate ways, which would be quite a sad moment for Asami. It had been a while since she had such a good time.

-"How are you getting back? Bus?" Korra asked with a smirk.

Asami laughed. "I am _never_ getting back on that fucking bus. I'd rather hop home than take that thing again, so I'm going to walk."

Korra chuckled as well, but there was also a hint of disappointment on her face. "Makes sense. Shame I'm not going to see you again on there though."

"Well, maybe you'll just have to call me? You have my number," Asami tried. "Make it a proper date." It was a little forward, but definitely worth a shot.

The huge grin that crept across Korra's face was more than worth it. "Deal."

* * *

 _Wrote this over the weekend. While this didn't happen to me, I was stuck in a bus for nearly an hour that had a massive puddle of puke in it, so thank god for my cold and the ensuing clogged nose. Strange as it sounds, it did give me inspiration for this. As AvatarKya put it: "Some ppl find inspiration in *insert eloquent phrase here* And then there's you XD". Yeah, I guess she's right._


	26. The Big Day

"Alright, Korra, you can do this," she said to herself while looking in the mirror. Her hair had been neatly styled into a long braid over her shoulder. Asami had always said it would look good on her, and dammit, it did. How she knew ahead of time was a mystery.

-"You ready, kid?" Tonraq popped up, sticking his head around the door.

Korra took a deep breath. "I think so. Never been quite this scared in my life, but I think I am ready."

Her father let out a hearty laugh. "How is it that you won't hesitate to jump into a fight with a dozen men, and yet getting married to the woman you love most has your knees shaking?"

"Because at least I then know exactly what I'm in for!" This only made him laugh harder as he pulled her into a hug. "Dad! This isn't funny!"

-"It's very funny," he countered, and then pulled back a little to look his daughter in the eyes. "Listen to me, Korra. You two have been doing great for the past four years. I can't recall a time before you met Asami when you looked this happy. And now you're going to take the next step, show your love for her to the world. That's all that matters."

Korra sighed. "Do you really mean that?"

-"I do. Trust me, I was far worse when I married your mother, and we're still together. You can do this."

It actually made her chuckle. "Thanks, Dad." She took one last deep breath as she looked at herself in the mirror. Tuxes really were her thing. "Alright, let's do this."

Soon enough, she was standing at the altar, with Tenzin officiating the ceremony. Practically everyone she knew was in the hall, including quite a few people she didn't know. It wasn't every day that the Avatar got married.

This really was it. Any moment now, Asami was going to walk through those doors, and then they would be joined for life.

Of course, the thought had Korra's head spinning, and not in a good way. She really did feel light-headed, but that would pass soon enough, her father had assured her.

And then Asami really did walk in. _Spirits,_ did she looked beautiful. She was wearing a strapless white dress, accentuated with a red belt to bring out the red in the betrothal necklace Korra had made for her. She knew blue was more traditional, but had still gone for red, because that was Asami's color. Her hair was rolled up in a perfect bun, and that made Korra realize that really was the word. Perfect.

Korra's grin couldn't be much wider as Tonraq handed Asami over to his daughter. Of course, Asami did get a little emotional when she realized that Hiroshi wasn't going to be walking her down the aisle, but Korra had managed to console her by assuring her that Tonraq was as much Asami's family as he was Korra's.

"You look beautiful," Korra whispered.

Asami smiled. "Thanks. Tux looks really good on you," she said with an appreciative smirk.

They held hands, and Korra turned to Tenzin. "Are you ready?" he asked, a smile on his face as well.

-"Yes," Asami decisively said.

But Korra wasn't. She really could feel herself get dizzy, and even though she heard that Tenzin started addressing the audience, she couldn't make out a word he was saying. The lightness in her head got incrementally worse, and Asami soon noticed. She let go of Korra's hand, and instead put it on her shoulder to steady her. "Korra, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm..." But she never finished that line, because then everything went black.

When Korra came to again, she found that she was lying on the ground with a slow breeze over her face, which felt surprisingly sore, like she just took a rock to it. More importantly than that, she found Asami's bright green eyes staring right into her own, and they were worried.

"Oww..." Korra groaned. "What happened?"

-"You fainted and landed on your face," Asami said, clearly trying to suppress a chuckle.

Korra actually did snicker. "That explains the sore nose."

She tried to sit up, but her not-quite-wife-yet pushed her back down. "You need to take a minute, get some blood back into your head, because it clearly wasn't there."

Korra laughed again, and finally took a look around. It turned out to be Jinora who was slowly bending some cool air over her face, which was nice. The feeling of three hundred people trying to contain their laughter however, wasn't. "This is fairly embarrassing."

This made Asami chuckle. "You are such a dork, that you are worried about that."

"Come on, I'm feeling better," Korra said, trying to keep her blushing to a minimum. "Then I'll be officially your dork."

Asami smiled. "Sounds perfect."


	27. The Fighter

"Korra, please, I beg of you, eat something."

Korra shook her head. "I can't, you know I can't."

Asami could almost feel the tears prick in her eyes. "You're only 60 pounds! You're stick-thin, it's 75 degrees in here and you're shivering! You can't keep going on like this, in fact, if you keep going like this, you won't go on at all."

Korra looked up with tears in her eyes, knowing that she would break Asami's heart. "None of that is true. I'm happy like this."

She couldn't take this any longer. "Korra, I'm not gonna stand by and watch you starve yourself to death because some bitch on the internet who has never seen you tells you something." She decided to do something she never did: set an ultimatum. "Either you come with me now to eat, or I'm out." Asami actually was crying now, because she couldn't bluff on this one. She hated what Korra was forcing her to do.

But Korra didn't budge. She sat down on the bed, folding her stick-thin arms in front of her.

At that point, Asami knew it was enough. She took one more look at her best friend, the tears falling down her sunken-in cheeks, before turning around and leaving.

In the hall, she ran into Senna, who, judging by the look on her face, had heard enough of the argument. "This can't go on any longer, Senna."

The mother nodded, stuck in the dilemma between loving her daughter and saving her daughter. "I know, but what are we going to do? We tried support, therapy, punishment, everything. What else is there?"

Asami thought for a moment. "I'll call the police. Tell them she's a danger to herself and put her in a clinic."

Senna obviously hated the idea, but didn't see a way out either. If Korra wasn't forced out of her anorexia, she would literally die from malnourishment. "She'll hate you for it," she quietly said.

"I'd rather have her hate me than have her dead," Asami sighed.

The mother pulled Asami into a tight hug. "You're a good person, Asami. I wish more people were like you." When they pulled away again, Asami saw the tears in her eyes. "Go. Make the call."

With shaking hands, she took out her phone and dialed.

* * *

 **5 years later...**

* * *

"Will you finally tell me where we're going?" Asami sighed.

Bolin laughed. "Oh, Asami, ye have little faith. Why won't you trust me?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because last time you took me to do something, you pushed me off a bridge."

"On a bungee cord!" he quickly came to his own defense. "It was awesome and you know it."

Asami wasn't impressed. She was fine with most things, but she hated heights. It wasn't preposterous, but just standing on the ledge of a really high bridge was her idea of hell. And just as she was had made up her mind that she wasn't going to jump, Bolin gave her a push and she fell, calling him every word for 'bastard' in the English language on the way down, and come to think of it, quite a few that weren't in English.

Bolin knew what her silence meant. "Okay, I promise you, you get to do this one sitting down the entire time."

"Fine," she conceded, but that agreement took another hit when Bolin announced they were there. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

"Asami, trust me on this one, you'll like it."

She huffed. "What have I ever done that makes you think I would enjoy an MMA fight?"

"Gut feeling?" he tried with his most innocent expression.

"It's a good thing Mako became the cop and not you," she said, rolling her eyes.

Bolin clapped her on the shoulder while laughing. "Don't knock it 'till you try it. Come on, I got us pretty good seats."

Asami sighed. The things she'd let him talk her into.

It had to be said, their seats were pretty good. They weren't exactly in the middle, but slightly off to the side of one, and a couple of rows back. To placate Asami a little bit, Bolin had bought her a soda and told her to just try and enjoy the show. She had no idea who was fighting, but the crowd sure seemed to be into it.

Suddenly, the lights went out. "Ladies and gentlemen!" the announcer came on as a spotlight shone on him. "In a bout scheduled for three rounds, we have the great, the reigning champion, the Uniter!" The crowd roared as a second spot light came on, this one on a woman. She was extremely muscular, no surprises there, with her pitch-black hair tied in a long braid, and even from here, Asami could see the beauty mark under her right eye.

"And for the challenger, the undefeated Avatar!" The crowd seemed less enthusiastic for her, even though Bolin definitely cheered this time around. A third spot came on, and this one was in the far corner on a woman with darker skin, a short bob haircut, and both arms tattooed all the way down. She looked like the opposite of the Uniter, save for the fact that she was just as muscular.

Something about her was familiar, but Asami couldn't place her finger on exactly what it was. She wouldn't have very long to figure it out though, as the referee stepped into the ring as well. After checking they were both ready, he started the fight.

They both engaged, with the Avatar looking like the more patient fighter. She was slower to engage, and when the Uniter swung her first punch, she quickly leaned back and used the extra momentum of coming forward to land the first punch in the Uniter's face.

Asami couldn't help but smile as Bolin cheered. When he was invested in something, he wasn't afraid to show it. When she looked back, the Uniter was just blocking a high kick from the Avatar, who was quick to recover from it and dodge an incoming hook herself. They kept on stalking around each other, always waiting for an opening.

The first round soon ended, both of them seeming equally matched. It should be said that while Asami had her doubts about coming here, with the crowd and everything, she was surprisingly enjoying herself.

The second round was different. This time, the Avatar definitely had the upper hand, being more aggressive, landing more punches than her opponent. And then probably the most amazing fighting move Asami had ever seen came. The Uniter was standing her ground as the Avatar engaged again, and after slapping a punch down, she suddenly tried a roundhouse kick aimed for the Uniter's head, but missed. The Avatar must have planned for this, because instead of stumbling as she came back down, she kept on spinning, this time with a back-handed cross slamming straight into her opponent's head.

KO, because the Uniter fell down onto the mat, no doubt about it. Some of the crowd cheered, some of it booed, but the Avatar showed off anyway, a satisfied smirk lining her face.

And that's when it finally hit Asami. It couldn't have hit her harder if she had taken that final punch to the face. She'd know that smirk anywhere. "Korra..." she whispered. "Bo, we gotta get back there. I know her!"

He smiled. "So you figured out why I brought you here."

"Yes, now come on, we have to go!"

"Fortunately, our tickets include backstage passes," Bolin smiled. "I know someone there." They made their way to the back exit where the crowd was also stacked up, and couldn't really elbow their way forward because those wolves wouldn't let anyone get them off of their good spot for a signature.

After about 20 minutes, she came out. Through the people that were loudly cheering, Asami could just make out that she really was there, but no way in hell that Korra could see her. "Dammit, Bo, I gotta talk to her."

"Relax, I got this." He put his fingers in his mouth, and whistled unbelievably loudly, getting everyone's attention, including Korra's. "Korra!"

"Bolin!" she called back. "Hey, Frisky, let that guy through!" An absolutely massive guy gestured for Bolin to come up to the barrier, and lifted one up a bit to let him through. Asami tried to follow him, but the guard put the barrier back into place before she could step out as well. For a moment, she considered arguing, but it would be pointless.

Still, when they got a little closer, she could at least follow their conversation. "Just out of curiosity, who was the second ticket for?" Korra asked while she was busy signing scraps of paper and whatnot. "You were awfully secretive about it, which is nothing like you."

"Well..." he said with a mischievous smile, "I wanted it to be a surprise." He nudged Korra in the elbow and pointed at Asami.

When they locked eyes, Korra was so surprised that she dropped her pen. "Ho-ly shit..."

Asami sheepishly smiled. "Hey, Kor."

Without saying a word, Korra pulled her in for a tight hug, and Asami really wished the barrier wasn't there, because that was poking her in the hips while Korra was almost crushing her ribs. "Korra... can't... breathe..." she managed to squeak out.

"Right, sorry," she quickly managed while putting Asami back down. "Asami, you gotta come with me. We have a lot to catch up on, and we have to do it quickly. Do you have time for a quick bite to eat?"

Asami chuckled. "Korra, I've been trying to get you to say that to me for nearly ten years. I'm in."

Korra bashfully brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah... I guess I had that one coming."

Much to Asami's surprise, Bolin declined. "I'm gonna sit this one out. It looks like you two have some catching up to do."

"Okay," Korra nodded. Meanwhile, she lifted the 40 pound gate with one hand, making Asami raise an impressed eyebrow. "Come on," the fighter said. "I have a post-fight ritual and inviting someone along is no reason to change that." They quickly said their goodbyes to Bolin who went back to his own car, while Korra ushered Asami into a huge black SUV with tinted windows and the guy she called Frisky took the wheel.

"'Post-fight ritual'? What the hell do you mean with that?"

"Means I go out for some poultry. Need them proteins," she finished with a big smile. "There's a place not too far from here that has the best turkey sandwiches ever and you _need_ one of those. Not even a matter of want, it's a matter of need."

Asami smiled. "It's great to see you like this. Last time we talked, it wasn't exactly..." but she was interrupted by Korra.

"Hold that thought. He doesn't need to know everything," she said, gesturing to the guard.

"Right," Asami nodded. What she was about to say was exceptionally personal, and it makes sense that Korra wouldn't want that story out there. "You still look really good though. Had some body work done over the years, I see," Asami remarked, gesturing to Korra's tattoos, easily displayed by her tank top.

Korra chuckled. "I did. Felt like the right thing to do. New me, so to speak."

"What'd your parents say when you can home with them?"

"Well, my dad didn't really care, my mom wasn't a fan until I showed her this part." Korra turned halfway around, showing Asami her other shoulder, which, among many others, had a heart that said 'Mom'. "She thought that was kind of sweet even though she still thought the scales were a bit... unnecessary," she chuckled, showing her forearm, which had very stylized scales all around it.

Asami laughed as well. "Still looks good on you, it has to be said."

"Ladies, I'm sorry to interrupt, but we're here," the driver said.

"Alright, guess that's our cue," Korra said. "Frisky, you know the drill."

"I do," he sighed, and when Asami had shut her door, he drove off again.

It still had her curious though. "What's up with you having a bodyguard and all? You obviously don't like having him around, and yet you can't send him away. Plus, you don't really look like you need a guard."

Korra laughed. "Well, that was because one time after a fight, a fan hopped the barriers, I was already tired so not really thinking, and I _allegedly_ dislocated his shoulder and knocked his lights out."

Asami wasn't convinced. "'Allegedly'? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Means that we settled and that my manager paid the fine on the condition that I take a guard with me everywhere I go who's actually trained to deal with crowd control. I really don't like having someone watch my every move, so he usually stays in the car. Right now, he's just parking around the back."

They stepped into the sandwich shop, and Asami immediately saw why Korra liked coming here so much. It had a 1950s kind of feel to it, down to the half-circular booths with the red vinyl benches.

"Kya!" Korra cheerfully opened when she spotted the woman behind the counter

"Korra," Kya nodded. "Had another fight?" she asked, raising an eyebrow when she saw the cut on her lip.

"Ah, my opponent ended up eating the mat. It can always be worse."

Kya chuckled. "Well, congratulations. Want the usual?"

"Two, actually. One for the lady as well," Korra said, gesturing to Asami.

"Alright, I'll bring it out to you in a minute. Take a seat wherever you want, place is dead anyway."

"Thanks." She made her way over to a booth all the way in the back, where no one would be able to eavesdrop on them.

But after they sat down, a little bit of an awkward silence fell. Because it really just was the two of them now, there were no excuses not to talk about the elephant in the room. "Korra, I'm sorry," Asami eventually started. "For putting you in that clinic, I mean. I drove past is after you were taken in there, because I wanted to know what it was like, and it looked more like a prison than anything else."

"You don't have anything to be sorry for. You saved me." Korra sighed. "Yes, that place was a prison, but in the month before you made that call, I lost another five pounds. They told me that if I had kept that up for another two weeks, my body would start shutting down, and I would have literally have starved myself to death. You were just in time when you made that call."

Asami didn't really know how to respond to that. She kind of already knew that, just not how severe it was. "That... that's heavy."

"I know," Korra nodded. "When they told me, it was a major reality check." It fell silent for a few moments. "I'm the one who should be sorry, for putting you in a position where you had to make that call in the first place, and..." She sighed, visibly hesitant to say out loud whatever was coming next.

Asami had a reasonably good idea what it was, but this was something that needed to happen. "And what?"

"And for hating you," Korra admitted with a small voice. "After I was first taken in there, I hated everyone and everything. I hated my doctors for force-feeding me, the clinic itself for being a prison, my parents for letting it happen, but most of all, I hated you for betraying me and putting me in there. I blamed all of you for my predicament, while the only real person to blame was me."

"Korra..." Asami said, seeing the tears in her once best friend's eyes build. She reached over the table to take her hand, giving it an affectionate squeeze. "Aren't you hating yourself way too much for this?"

Korra sighed. "Maybe. Not like I wouldn't deserve it after everything."

They were right back in that room, like they were five years ago, Korra hating herself. Only now it was for what she did, not what she looked like, so that was something of an improvement as far as Asami was considered. "But you came out of it so much stronger - literally. I barely even recognized you at first, that's how much your hard work has paid off."

They were only speaking softly, so they immediately noticed when Kya came out carrying two plates, with some of the biggest sandwiches on them Asami had ever seen. "Damn. Is this all for me?"

Korra chuckled. "It is. If you can't finish it, don't worry, I'll do it for you. I sometimes go back for seconds here as well. Thanks Kya."

It made Asami raise another impressed eyebrow. "Wait, how much do you actually weigh?"

"You know that's kind of rude to ask," Korra said with a smirk. When Asami shot her a pointed look, she caved in. "144 pounds, right at the upper limit of my weight class. And they call it featherweight," she chuckled while making air quotations. "So that's what this is for," she continued, taking a large bite out of her sandwich. "Carbs and protein make practically living in the gym a lot easier."

"So you're two and a half times heavier than you were five years ago?"

"I am. After about six months in the clinic, another girl there showed me a picture of her sister doing a one-handed pull-up while wearing ankle weights. I was starting to realize how dangerous it had been what I was doing to myself, so I set myself a one-handed pull-up with ankle weights as a goal. From there, it was about two months to get to a reasonable weight and they let me go, and then me and my dad started hitting the gym - hard. Took me another six months before I could do it, but now I can easily do it. Anyway, that's more than enough about me. What have you been up to?" To make sire Asami actually took over, Korra dug back into her sandwich.

Asami sighed. "Well, I felt guilty about the whole 'locking you up in what's basically a prison'-thing, so I enrolled in an engineering program in the Fire Nation, which took three years. After I came back, I started working at my dad's company and that's pretty much it. No significant other, no big changes in my life, other than the fact that I'm now an engineer."

Korra nodded. "Neat. And I knew it. You were always more concerned with engines than you were with anything else."

"I turned what I like into what I do for a living. I don't remember you as a fighter, but there you are."

"Good point," the fighter agreed. "There is just one glaring omission from your story: how do you know Bolin?"

"Ah," Asami said, feeling a faint blush rise in her cheeks, because this was fairly embarrassing. "I kind of... dated his brother for a while."

Korra started laughing. "Mako? The guy who always acts like he has the Harmony Tower shoved up his ass?"

"Yeah... That's also pretty much the reason we broke up. Absolutely no flexibility in that guy."

The fighter kept on chuckling. "So how does Bolin fit in there?"

"Well, we became friends when me and Mako were going out, and just stayed friends afterwards. Mako isn't too happy about that, but hey, it's Bolin's life, not his. Where does he fit into your life?"

"We're gym buddies," Korra explained. "He noticed me coming there a lot, and him flirting with me gradually became less and less subtle. He was so disappointed when I told him I don't swing that way, it was absolutely hilarious. So to make up for basically laughing out loud at that, I took him out for a quick bite afterwards, and we remained friends. A couple of weeks ago, I think I mentioned you, and not that much later, he asked me for a couple of tickets to a fight. He never did that before, so sure, why not? And then he brings you."

Asami nodded. "Guess he wanted to bring us back together." She looked up from her sandwich with a smile. "Whatever his reason, I'm glad that he did."

Korra had that same smile. "No doubt about it."

* * *

 _Right, little bit of background on this one: I came across the_ _story of Fee Chrystall_ _, which is broadly Korra's story here, though I'm a little hazy on the details. It really inspired me to write this, as it is such a story about what a combination of determination and hard work can achieve. As for Korra's appearance after the jump forward, that was largely based on_ _Emmy Simpkins_ _, of whom I saw a picture on Tumblr. I know Korra isn't_ that _muscular in the show, but she is in my head when I turn her into a professional fighter, and in that headcanon of mine, she always has her arms tattooed._


	28. Pull Me Back

_Yeah, it's a scene from a movie we've all seen, only with Korrasami. Don't like it, don't read it. I'm also saying up front that I'm not going to do the entire movie, so don't bother asking. If you really want to read a good rendition of Titanic only with the characters from The Legend of Korra, go read_ Those In Peril On the Sea _by boasamishipper. Great version, and I don't see how I can add to that. Thanks to erraticshift for this idea._

* * *

 _"I saw my whole life as if I already lived it. An endless parade of parties and cotillions, yachts and polo matches. Always the same narrow people, the same mindless chatter. I felt like I was standing at the edge of a great precipice, no one to pull me back, no one who cared, or even noticed."_

Asami was running down the deck towards the stern of the ship, not caring that she was knocking into people who stared after her, the finely dressed young woman who was crying, and out on a cold April night without either a coat, hat, or gloves.

And yeah, it probably was pretty cold, but Asami didn't notice. There was too much on her mind to notice. In a couple of minutes, it wouldn't matter anyway.

Down a few flights of stairs, up another one, and she was only stopped by the railing when there really was no more ship. The bright lights under the flag post were clear: this was the end.

Slowly but surely, Asami climbed onto the railing, being hampered by her fine red dress at every step, but by clinging on to the ropes holding the flag up, she made it over to the other side. One last look down the deck of the ship showed that no one had come after her. No one cared. No one noticed. No one to pull her back.

Asami turned around, seeing the violently sloshing water from the propellers far below her. A fall like that would probably kill her. It would be painless.

"Don't do it!" A voice suddenly said behind her.

Asami whirled around, seeing another young woman standing there. "Back off! I'll let go!"

"It's not worth it." She was definitely cautious with her approach, but slowly inched her way forward.

"Stay there!" Asami yelled. "I promise I'll do it!" She was hoping she'd be alone for this. This woman was a distraction she definitely didn't want.

"Come on, I'll pull you back over."

She was getting on Asami's nerves now. "I'll let go if you don't back off!"

"You won't let go," she said with a calm confidence, like she was talking about the weather, not someone about to kill themselves.

"Don't tell me what I can and cannot do," Asami protested. "You don't know me, why are you even talking to me?"

The woman shrugged while she took a drag from her cigarette. "I'm... desperate for a chat."

Asami scoffed. "Go away, you're distracting me."

"Can't," she said while tossing the butt of her cigarette over the railing. "I'm involved now. We have a connection."

This woman was astounding Asami. "No we don't! You're just bothering me."

"And yet we're still talking. So if you jump now, I'm gonna have to jump in there after you."

She was still slowly inching her way forward, giving Asami a closer look at her. She was definitely steerage, judging from her slightly choppy short hair and scruffy clothes. Her boots were worn out, and there were so many patches on her pants Asami couldn't quite tell what color they were when they were new.

That being said, she did look good, with her dark skin and handsome face. And when she shrugged out of her coat, it revealed that she had quite a strong build.

"Don't be absurd," Asami said. "The fall alone would kill you."

The woman took another step closer and peered over the railing. "That wouldn't kill you. There's air in the water from the propellers, it's not as solid. Might break a few of your bones, that would hurt like hell. Worst part is the water itself though." She put her foot on what looked like an anchor to untie her shoelaces.

And suddenly Asami was a lot more hesitant. She was convinced it would be a quick and easy way to go, but the way this woman was describing it, it sounded like it would be horribly painful. "What about the water?"

"It's freezing - literally. Salt water gets really cold." She was now out of both boots. "I'm from Alaska and once fell through some thin sea ice. That was the most painful experience of my life. You'd be in too much pain to even think about breathing, let alone swimming. It feels like you're being stabbed all over your body at the same time." She put her hands on the railing next to Asami. "Which is why I'm not looking forward to jumping in after you."

Now Asami was pretty much convinced this was a bad idea. Never mind the fact that she had been moments away from ending her own life, but that it would hurt so much was not something she wanted.

"So I'm actually kind of hoping that you'll climb back aboard so that I don't have to," she continued, flashing a crooked grin.

"You're crazy!"

She just kept on smiling. "Maybe I am, but between the two of us, I'm not to one hanging off the back of a ship."

Asami looked down, seeing that the woman was holding out her hand for Asami to take. "Okay," she sighed, and slowly started turning around, feeling slightly safer with the woman's firm grip around her hand. "I'm Asami Sato," she said when they were facing each other. It wasn't until now that she realized how stunningly blue her eyes were.

"Korra Waters," she replied. "Come on. One step at a time."

* * *

 _And we all know what happens next. Dinner, dancing, jealous fiancé, romance, drawing, iceberg, sinking, death, skip 84 years and Kate Winslet turns into Gloria Stuart who tosses the diamond - that would have made her grandchildren obscenely rich - into the fucking ocean. Bam, that just saved three hours._

 _All joking aside though, I wanted to do this for a while; a well-known scene from one of my favorite movies. Yeah, I said it, come get me. I know it's not perfect, but as MovieBob said: "The whole 'poor boy, rich girl'-thing may indeed be hokey as hell by the time you get to the lobby, but in the theater people were sobbing their goddamn eyes out and you know it." Bottom line, I love this movie._

 _Lastly, as a reward for those of you who actually bother reading all of this, since my inspiration for these has been running so low, I'm taking prompts on Tumblr. Feel free to find me_ _there a henkie36_ _._


	29. Lights, Camera, Action

"Cut!" Asami called out, and the actors moved from their cues, half expecting her to say they'd need to do the take again. Actually though, Asami thought this take came out okay, but she'd have to rewind it to really find out. She looked at her watch, seeing that they'd been at it for two hours straight. "Alright everyone, take fifteen. I think we can wrap this scene."

A few agreeing murmurs went through the crew, and people started walking around. Asami moved to the bank of computer screens, and asked the guy behind it to pull up her final few takes.

On the whole, she was pleased with the result. The angles were good, the lighting was a little on the bright side, but because the main star had fairly dark skin, that was the idea.

-"Umm, Asami?" a hesitant voice came from her left. The director looked up, seeing Korra standing there in a bathrobe, seeing how the scene they just shot required her to be down to her underwear. "Do you have a minute?"

"Sure, just a minute. Mako!" she yelled at one of her crew. "after we get back, we're gonna start shooting the morning after, so make sure you get your lighting in properly, make sure it's bright enough.'

-"Got it," he replied with a shrug.

Asami chuckled. Mako was good at his job, even if he was a little difficult to work with. They sometimes butted heads on set, because they had worked together before, but in the end, the result was always good. "Alright, Korra, walk with me."

They went outside, because Asami was desperate for a smoke. Bad habit, but so many people on set did it that even when she tried to quit, the temptation to start again was incredibly strong. "So what's on your mind?" she asked, sighing in relief as she felt the nicotine run through her.

-"I think we need to reshoot the scene we just did."

Asami raised an eyebrow. "Are you kidding me? We just spent two hours on that scene and now you want to do it again?"

Korra looked a little uneasy. "Well... yes. I think I should be topless for it."

At this, Asami was so surprised that she choked on the smoke she was inhaling. "Topless?" she managed after she stopped coughing.

-"Yeah, I mean, think about it. I'm trying to get with a man nearly twice my age by getting him drunk. I wouldn't be doing that and then hold back."

The director thought about this. The script called for Korra to seduce her coach in order to persuade him to put her on the team, even though she didn't qualify. Asami saw a certain Rocky-like element in there, the down-on-her-luck athlete doing everything she had to to get another shot at her career. On the whole, her reasoning made sense.

Then of course, there was the elephant in the room: Korra was _gorgeous_. Even though she had to play someone who lost a lot, she was still an athlete, and that called for a very fit actress. This lead meanderingly to Korra, and as soon as she walked into the audition, Asami knew she had the right part. Of course, the fact that Asami thought Korra was the most attractive one by a country mile helped a lot with her choice once everyone had passed, but still.

She also _may_ have done a take or two that weren't fully necessary of Korra working out for a montage scene later on in the film, mostly because she wanted an extra look of those muscles hard at work. It definitely was a sight to behold.

"Alright," Asami slowly nodded, trying to hide her blush by blowing out a puff of smoke. "How would we go about it?"

This got Korra blushing as well. "I... uhhh... I hadn't really thought about it like that? I mean, I think the scene would largely play out the same, only I'd take everything off."

The director smiled. "Alright, you get your wish. Sure about this?"

Korra gulped, clearly nervous as hell even suggesting this. "I think so. Is there any booze lying around this place?"

"Go ask Bumi, he's pretty much my on-set alcoholic," Asami chuckled. "I'd bet you any money there is a bottle of gin somewhere he knows."

The actress laughed as well, be it a little awkwardly. Even though they hadn't been working together long, Asami liked her, and not just because she was attractive. She was easy-going and not afraid to speak up, but when Asami demanded discipline, she listened. Most scenes got done in three or four takes, which was a pretty good average.

She took the last drag of her cigarette and threw the butt away. "Alright, time to get back to work. Would you be so kind to send Iroh my way so that I can inform him of this?"

"Sure," Korra quickly nodded.

Unsurprisingly, it wasn't very hard for the director to convince him to do the scene again only with Korra topless, and soon enough, they were back on stage. Asami had seen her take a couple of shots of Bumi's gin, meaning they were ready to go.

Asami gulped, because she was kind of excited for this, but of course, she couldn't show this. "Come on, Asami, you're a professional..." she muttered to herself. "This is the first time you've shot a hot girl topless..."

-"What was that?" Bolin, her second unit director, was quick to ask.

"Oh, nothing," she quickly dismissed, even though there was a distinct blush rising through her cheeks. "Alright everyone, silence on set... Camera... Action!"

Korra was quick to push Iroh down onto the bed, and she straddled him, before quickly shrugging out of her top. Her make-up was a little smudged because of that, but Asami thought that just made the scene feel more natural.

She wordlessly signaled Bolin to do the close-up of Iroh's face, which was simultaneously excited and a little disturbed, given how Korra was half his age, both in the movie and in real life. Wasn't that hard for him to pull off.

And then the moment came that made Asami try and swallow the lump in her throat. Korra was quick to unhook her bra and let it fall away.

Damn. She looked even better topless than she did with her top on, though that was no surprise, given how the thought of 'your clothes look good on you, but they'd look better on my bedroom floor' had gone through Asami's head several times. Korra breasts were nice and firm, and definitely looked good on camera. Asami caught herself just before she was going to zoom in on them, reminding herself just in the nick of time that she was making a drama, not a porn film.

The scene was over disappointingly quickly, but Asami had already made up her mind. That was definitely the take they were going to use.

* * *

 _Before you say anything, this does happen. In_ The Wolf of Wall Street _, it was Margot Robbie herself who suggested her character to appear stark naked in front of Leonardo DiCaprio after their date, while the original script called for her to be in lingerie. Martin Scorsese agreed, and she had to take three shots of tequila before she had the guts to do so. And in_ The Island _, Scarlett Johansson suggested she should be topless in the mandatory sex scene, but director Michael Bay refused, saying that he wanted to keep the movie PG-13. I'll let you draw your own conclusions from that fact._

 _Also, yes, this was just a little plot bunny that I thought was kind of fun to write._


	30. Small-Block V8

Korra smiled as she saw her approach.

It was always the same situation on Saturdays: at around ten, she would show up, she'd browse for an hour or two, and then pay for a couple of small parts, always leaving Korra chuckling.

Truth be told, just about all that Korra knew about her was her name: Asami. Pretty name, though not as pretty as she was herself. And even then Korra had never seen her in anything other than coveralls, or those tied around her waist with just a smudged wifebeater above it.

That was actually her favorite part, mostly because it displayed most of Asami's great figure, but of course, Korra couldn't say this out loud. Some of her would like to, as Asami was not only very easy on the eyes, it was also a pleasure to deal with her every time.

Korra had a sneaking suspicion Asami had plenty of money, as she almost never gave her a hard time when haggling about prices for some very specific parts. She owned a junkyard, well, inherited one from her predecessor, Aang, but there was something satisfying about turning scrap into workable material again.

It seemed that Asami had a similar mindset, as she came by every week looking for parts. Korra would hate to be the one tasked with cleaning out her garage, because it was probably stocked the ceiling with old car parts.

Not that she had any right to judge someone for that, but hey, this was a junkyard, and it was her job to have scrap stacked to the ceiling.

"Like fucking clockwork," Korra smiled to herself as she saw Asami's 20-year old Toyota Hilux pull into the parking lot. That thing had definitely seen better days, and it wasn't totally unlikely Korra would have business with that car later. Then again, it was a Hilux, a car that is virtually indestructible.

"Morning," Korra cheerfully greeted her.

Asami smiled. "Morning. Mind if I mosey around for a bit?"

It made Korra laugh. "Never had a problem with it before. Just give me a heads up if you want something from a bottom row, okay?"

-"You got it." She wandered off between the piles of scrap cars, most of them nothing but empty shells waiting for their date with the crusher.

Korra chuckled as she stared after her. Asami was always so carefree when she was here, but her rigorous schedule betrayed a more organized lifestyle than she was letting on. Of course, there was nothing wrong with that, coming here to relax may be an unusual hobby, but not one that Korra had any reason to despise her for. Hell, Asami was a good customer, so it was quite the opposite.

She turned around to see Mako on the forklift, one of her employees, staring after Asami as well. "Hey!" Korra called out to him. "Eyes off the prize, back to work!"

With a slight tinge of red on his cheeks, he was quick to do so.

Again, right on cue, Asami showed up to the counter about an hour and a half later with an arm full of greasy parts. Korra smiled as she struggled to keep a hold of it all. "You know, you could have just asked me for a cart, you know."

This was met with a skeptical eyebrow. "Really? You'd give me that?"

"Of course, you're a good customer. So what car did you dismantle today?"

-"There's a '66 Impala at the back of the lot, hope you don't mind," Asami admitted with a chuckle. "Took some parts from under the hood."

Korra nodded, not ashamed of the fact that she was impressed, _though if you're honest, you should be ashamed of the fact that you're also a little aroused._ "Alright, let's see what you have." Korra took a look through the parts, and smiled. An alternator, spark cables, even a pair of valve covers. "Those go on a small-block V8. Mind if I ask what you're working on?"

Asami smiled and looked like a parent who now got to boast about her first-born learning to walk. "'65 Pontiac GTO. I've been looking around for fitting parts for ages, and finally found a cover that's still in good condition. They used the same small-blocks in that period on almost all their cars."

"They did," Korra knew. "Well, unfortunately, we have to get to the unpleasant part now: money. Those covers are pretty hard to find, but since you took the effort of dismantling it yourself I'll cut you a deal: 120 for the lot."

Asami thought for a moment, but then nodded. "Fair enough. Deal." She held out a grease-covered hand that Korra shook with a smile. Not like her hands were much cleaner anyway, but only in a literal sense. The previous owner of this place always reminded her that dirty hands are a sign of clean money.

They quickly exchanged goods for money, and with that, Asami was on her way again, probably back to her GTO and building it. Still, Korra couldn't complain. This was an easy way of making some extra money on the side.

* * *

A couple of weeks went by like that, and Asami was slowly disassembling the entire Impala, just hoping to find good parts. Korra mostly thought it was pretty funny, to see her so driven.

But today was going to be different, and that was all down to the weather. Even though it was normally pretty dry in these parts, the last few days had been so humid and now with skies this dark, there was going to be hail and hellfire later on, she just knew it.

And yet Asami was undeterred as she showed up, and on Korra's advice, had brought a small cart to haul parts around in. They did their usual bid, Asami asking if she could browse, and Korra had no problem letting her.

But after about half an hour, the sky lit up with a lightning bolt that Korra could clearly see, and the thunder wasn't far behind.

"Mako!" she yelled out. "Get Bolin, and get the equipment back inside! We're about to get a taste of the story of Noah!"

-"You got it," he coolly replied, but he was surprised to see her taking off into the yard itself. "Where are you going?"

"Asami is still out there, I can't leave her in that."

Korra had a rough idea where the Impala was, and to her relief, Asami was there, though it was more her legs that Korra could see sticking out from under it. "Hey," she said, taking a wrench and tapping it on the hood of the car a few times.

-"Ow," Asami commented at the sharp sound. "What was that for?"

"Thor, the God of Thunder is about to show us his displeasure with the world," she said, pointing over her shoulder to the darkest clouds, just as another bolt of lightning split the sky. "So I was rather thinking you should probably come inside for now, get back to this thing after. Car isn't going anywhere, mostly because you pulled the entire engine apart."

While Korra was saying that, the first raindrops started to fall, and they were big ones. She didn't need to be a meteorologist to know that they were going to be soaked by the time they got back to the garage.

-"Alright, just gotta get my tools," Asami said, quickly gathering everything. Korra decided to help her by stashing the little cart in the stripped interior, making sure it would rust away before Asami could return to her pet project.

Their sprint back to the garage was hampered by Asami's heavy toolbox and the fact that the rain had turned the pathways back into mud. Korra almost made a very inelegant face plant as she slipped, but managed to get her feet back under her body just in time. _Now is not a good time to consider a game of mud wrestling._

Unfortunately, as predicted, they were both completely soaked by the time they actually made it to the garage, which was unpleasant. Korra slicked her short hair back. "Well, that went about as well as expected."

-"Whoa, did you swim over here?" Bolin piped up.

"Not another fucking word if you value your job," Korra warned him. Chuckling, he raised his hands and backed off, even though Korra wouldn't fire him for that. "Come on, we've got some towels in the back."

She led Asami to the back of the workshop, where there were a few towels for drying your hands, not really for hair, but they'd do the trick for now.

"Umm, just out of curiosity, are you sticking with your new Joker-look?" Korra playfully jabbed at Asami.

-"Oh no. Has my makeup run out again?"

"Guessing you didn't buy the water-proof variant," Korra chuckled.

Asami laughed too as she started dabbing the towel under her eyes. "Didn't think it was necessary, but apparently I was wrong. Is there a mirror somewhere?"

"Sure, down the hall, first door on your left."

-"Thanks."

As soon as she was alone, Korra managed to wrestle her coveralls down to her waist so that she could at least take off her tank top and squeeze the water out of that.

But as she was doing that, she suddenly felt like she was being watched, and turned to find Asami in the door opening with a hint of red on her cheeks. "Ahem," Korra coughed to break her gaze.

-"Sorry," she muttered, going even redder while turning around. "Didn't mean to intrude."

It just made Korra laugh more. "It's okay," she reassured her as she pulled her top back on. "Just answer me this: did you like what you see?" This only made Asami blush harder, which was good enough for Korra. "I'll take that as a yes. Come on, I'll make you a cup of tea."

It should be noted that Korra hadn't really seen Asami without makeup before, because even though coming to the junkyard was clearly her way of spending her day off, she still had immaculate makeup on. Korra had wondered what was up with that, but now it turns out she was just really diligent in applying it.

More to the point, Korra _liked_ what she saw. Asami was beautiful without makeup, maybe even more so than with. Somehow, the wet and slightly greasy and smudgy tank top looked better on her now than it did before. _Though if you're honest, that might be because it clings a little more._

So after Korra had each made the a cup of tea (the tea coming in a box that probably had tools in it at some point) they settled into warming themselves back up, because the rain had lowered the outside temperature significantly.

"Okay, here's something I've been thinking about," Korra said, breaking a brief lull in the conversation. "Why go through all this trouble for parts for your GTO? Wouldn't it be much easier to just order them online?"

-"Where's the fun in that?" Asami smirked back. "I'm doing this for fun, and I like taking old cars apart, hoping to find that one perfect part that is just the one I need for my car. Ordering everything online is just a step above paying someone else to restore it for me."

"Good point. It's the dirty hands, isn't it?"

Asami nodded. "Yes. I work an office job, burying myself up to my elbows in greasy engines is how I unwind. Some parts are inevitable to get done by professional, like paintwork and interior, but I'm trying to do the mechanics of it all myself."

"I gotta say, I'm impressed. Does sound like a fun way of doing things."

-"It is, you should try it sometime."

Korra chuckled. "I might, if I can ever find the free time. Plus, I have to make sure you don't pull apart every car before I get the chance."

It made Asami laugh too. It was surprisingly easy to talk with her, and even in the brief moment that they finally exchanged more than three sentences, Korra just found herself completely at ease with this woman.

-"It sounds like Thor has calmed down again," Asami said after noting that the thunder and the rain had blown away.

"You're right," Korra agreed. "Guess that means we should get back to work."

Asami nodded. "Yeah, though I was nearly done anyway, mostly have to get my stuff and the parts I relieved that old Impala from."

Korra chuckled again. "You go do that. I guess I'll see you at the counter soon, right?"

-"Definitely."

* * *

The following weeks got progressively better, as far as Korra was concerned. Asami stopped by for the watery machine tea a couple of more times, and they quickly took a liking to each other that was deeper than just surface level. It was very refreshing for Korra to talk with someone who knew cars better than she did, and her passion for them burned even brighter.

Of course, Asami was also fascinated with Korra herself. At first, it was just the sleeve of tribal ink Korra had (Polynesian inspired, not that douchebaggy '90s stuff), but that soon shifted towards a more personal approach, how she got the junkyard, her background, the works.

It was just very... _nice_ , talking with Asami. Everything between them was smooth, like, well, Korra didn't like puns, but like a well-oiled machine.

They had actually gone as far as exchanging phone numbers, which turned out to be very useful when Korra actually got an old GTO delivered to her yard. Those were pretty rare, and there was absolutely no doubt Asami would want to cannibalize that car.

Surprise, surprise, she was right. About an hour after the call, Asami showed up, in spite of the fact that it was a Wednesday. She was wearing her traditional coveralls, though Korra also quickly noticed that her nails were perfectly polished in a nice red shade, something she ordinarily never had. She was also still wearing earrings, and her hair seemed to be done a little neater than the normal ponytail Korra had grown used to.

"Couldn't let this one go, could you?" she asked with a smirk.

Asami smiled. "Hell no, this is the kind of stuff I was waiting for. You think it's still good?"

Korra just smiled right back at her. "Well, follow me." She had specifically parked the GTO at the front of the lot, making sure it was easily accessible to Asami. _Also visible from the garage, but let's omit that small little detail for now._ "Here she is."

Asami walked around it a few times, nodding and taking a few good looks at it. "It's not perfect. I take it this was some sort of barn find?"

"It was. Spent the past two decades rusting away, so I'm gonna go out on a limb and say everything under the body isn't much good anymore?"

Asami nimbly slid under the car, once again impressing Korra. "Nope, this chassis is rotten all the way through. I can poke through it with my bare hand." She slipped out from under it with the same impressive ease. "But the bodywork is still quite good. I think it was on a couple of chocks or something?"

"Maybe, I didn't ask. Now, since you came here so quickly, I'm guessing you're quite eager to take it apart?"

-"God, I thought you'd never ask," Asami said, almost appearing relieved. "Mind if I get started? There's plenty on here I want."

Korra couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. "By all means, that's why I called you."

She immediately got started, breaking out the spanners and the screwdrivers to disassemble the parts that she wanted. Unfortunately for Asami, it was also getting later in the day, and Korra would be closing up soon. She could stretch it a little bit longer for Asami's sake, but not endlessly.

In the end, Korra really wanted to close up shop, and pretty much the last thing she did was walk over there, while Asami was bent over the wing of the car her behind pleasantly sticking out. _The best form of defense is attack, so best do that now._ "Hey, Asami's ass," Korra called out, suppressing both a chuckle and a blush.

Asami shot up, momentarily forgetting that she was under the hood of the car. "OW!" she yelled as she banged her head on the hood.

"Oh God, are you okay?" Korra chuckled. She would be.

-"Yeah, but this is gonna leave a bump," Asami said, rubbing her head.

"Sorry," Korra sheepishly said. "Anyway, I want to close up right about now, so I was wondering if you were done."

-"Not really. There's more under here I kind of want to take apart."

Korra nodded. "I understand, but this one isn't going anywhere either. It'll still be here the next time you drop by."

* * *

-"You know, I'm gonna miss out little meet-ups," Asami said as Korra helped her load the last of the panels she took off the GTO into her Hilux.

Korra was already afraid of this. "You mean you have everything?"

Asami nodded. "Yep. I have most of it put together now, and it's just waiting for these panels to come back from respraying."

"Well, I hope it turns out the way you want it to." Korra held out her hand, covered in grease and dirt, as always, but Asami still smiled and shook it. "Good luck, Asami."

"You too, Korra."

* * *

A few weeks went by, and Korra caught herself multiple times staring out the window at the spot where Asami always parked her Hilux. She really did miss her, the easy talking, poking a bit of fun at each other. It was surprisingly dull without that.

-"You know you could just call her," Mako said when he caught her for the thousandth time.

"And say what?" Korra fired back. "People who can afford to restore classic muscle cars in their spare time don't date on my end of the tax scale."

-"And people say I'm a pessimist..." Mako mumbled under his breath. "Just try it, okay? You've been looking pretty miserable without her swinging by from time to time, and that's not a good look for you."

Korra sighed. "Okay, I'll call her later."

Turns out, that wasn't necessary. Around the time Korra was closing up the yard again, she suddenly heard the unmistakable roar of a small-block V8. "No way..." she muttered to herself.

She went outside, seeing Asami standing there, leaning against the hood of her GTO. The car had been done with a gorgeous dark purplish-blue finish, chrome in all the right places, and looked absolutely stunning.

Of course, the machine had _nothing_ on its owner. Rather than being in her coveralls again, Asami was standing there in a pair of skinny jeans and a leather jacket, her long wavy hair draped loosely over her shoulders. On top of everything else, her face was lined with a smirk that told Korra everything she needed to know.

-"Couldn't spend weeks talking her up and not take you for a spin," she said.

Korra's smile couldn't be much wider without hurting herself. "Beautiful," was all she could manage.

-"Come on," Asami smiled. "Let's go for a ride." That was something she didn't need to tell Korra twice. "So where do you want to go?"

Korra smiled and leaned over to kiss Asami on the cheek. "Take me to the sunset."


	31. Or Maybe Not (Vegas Part 3)

**Drunk and drugged...**

* * *

Outside, the heat of the day had mostly gone, being down to a nice and cool temperature, plenty for Korra and Asami in their inebriated states. "Alright, where do you want to start?" Korra asked.

-"You're really going to make me do this, aren't you?" Asami sighed, to which the athlete enthusiastically nodded. "Fine... Let's just take a walk and see what we come across."

They did just that, and started walking down The Strip. Korra quickly suggested that they turn off the main road and onto the smaller roads where they were more likely to run into something interesting.

"Alright, five things you've never done before," Korra mused out loud. "Where do you want to start?"

-"I don't know, this was your idea!" Asami replied. "What do you want to do, make me tell everyone I'm gay as fuck?"

The athlete thought for a moment on that, and the longer she did, the more she liked the idea. "Well, sure, why not?"

-"Korra..." Asami groaned, but this fell on deaf ears.

"Come on, I have an idea. Let's find a souvenir shop." This was about as easily said as done, because Vegas was littered with them, at least, when they were this close to The Strip. It was massive, and had all the rubbish that you don't want, including even Vegas snow globes. _Yeah, because if there is one thing Las Vegas is famous for, it's the massive amounts of snow it gets each year._

The shopkeeper was also a little on the cheery side. "Good evening!" she loudly greeted the pair. "Can I help you?"

"Yes!" Korra exclaimed. "Do you have any shirts for lesbians?"

This did have the shopkeeper a little baffled, but after regaining herself, her cheery demeanor came back. "Sure, they're in the back, next to the posters."

They walked over, and Korra smiled. _These are so wrong._ There were a few shirts there, all with brilliant prints. 'Vagitarian', 'Yes, your gaydar is working fine', 'Beaver fever', and lastly, Korra's favorite of the bunch. It was bright pink and had 'This is what an awesome lesbian looks like' written on it, with two thumbs pointing back at the wearer. "How about this one?" she asked, picking the shirt out of the rack.

Asami raised an eyebrow as she read the print. "'This is what an awesome lesbian looks like'? Really?"

"Yes, really. You're a closeted lipstick lesbian, no one is ever gonna know unless you wear that. You still wear small?"

She sighed. "Yes..."

"Good, then go and try it on."

Reluctantly, Asami took it and went into a fitting room, and soon came out again, now wearing the shirt. It didn't fit well, but it put a huge smile on Korra's face. "There you go, that's more like it!" she grinned.

-"Korra, I look like a lesbian."

The athlete grinned and ran a hand through her 'faux-hawk', as Asami had called it earlier. "So do I, but that's the whole point! Now you actually show people who you really are. A snazzy shirt for a snazzy lady."

Asami sighed and turned around to look at herself in the mirror, and Korra was pretty certain she saw something of a smile on her face. "Maybe it doesn't look that bad on me."

"There you go, that's the spirit. Now, I'll pay for this one, since you're so reluctant. Come on."

They made their way back to the register, and it made the shopkeeper smile. "You want to keep it on?"

-"Yes please," Asami answered with a small voice.

-"No problem, just come here for the tag." She quickly scanned it and cut it off, and Korra handed her a credit card. "You know, you two are a cute couple."

Korra and Asami glanced at each other, the former with a knowing smile, the latter with and annoyed pout. "We're not a couple," Asami remarked.

This had the shopkeeper surprised. "Really? I could have sworn, and I'm pretty good at that sort of thing."

"Well, not anymore, anyway," Korra piped up.

-"Korra..." Asami complained.

"The shirt you're wearing means I can't reveal any _big_ secrets."

A sly smile appeared on Asami's face. "You know what, I've just thought of the second item on my list. Just have to go out and look for it."

"That's the spirit!" Korra hollered, and easily went with her, linking their arms together. Asami was definitely looking for something, but she was holding her cards close to her chest, and wasn't about to tell the athlete what. Still, this was mostly fine with Korra, as she was finally getting her ex to buy into this little game.

However, her good mood was curb-stomped when Asami finally stopped walking and pointed at a building.

"No. Fucking. Way."

-"Come on, Korra, it'll be fun! You were the one who sounded disappointed when you had to admit to that lady that we aren't together anymore."

 _She's right on that one._

Then, Asami got really excited as she looked a little bit closer at the wedding chapel. "And look! A discount for us!"

The athlete had no idea what her ex was talking about, until she noticed the sign next to the front door: 'Same-sex couples 10% off.' _If that's not patronizing, I don't know what is._ "Asami, you're one of the wealthiest people on the planet, what's a discount gonna do for you?"

-"Discount."

"But..."

-"DISCOUNT!"

It was clear that Asami had made up her mind. "Alright, fine, and it can count for the list, you've never been married. But I get to decide the next one and you can't protest."

She thought on this for a moment. "Alright, you have a deal." Arms linked, they went in, where there was a woman behind the counter. "Ooh, look, they even have rings," Asami said.

-"You're looking to get married?" the woman asked.

"Apparently," Korra answered. "So what do we get?"

-"Well," the woman started. "For a spur-of-the-moment wedding like yours, I'm your witness, we have a marriage officiant in the chapel, and for just 249 dollars, you get a fully prepped wedding, two silver rings, and an official marriage certificate. The same but with gold rings is 269 dollars."

This seemed quite good, actually. "What are you thinking, silver or gold?" Asami asked.

"I like silver. Suits me better."

-"Alright, silver it is."

The woman behind the counter nodded. "Fair enough. Do you want them engraved?"

"Ooh!" Korra perked up. "Let's do each other's rings!"

Asami agreed to this, and now they both got to work thinking up something to put in there. The athlete knew soon enough what she wanted in Asami's ring, so she told the woman behind the counter, only it turned out Asami had already beaten her to it. "Give me your finger, love, so I can measure you up." It took a few tries, but they found the right one, and it then was off to the engraving machine, while Asami was fitted hers.

When it was handed to Korra, she smiled. 'Loved You Then, Love You Still.' the inside of ring read. "Aww, that's sweet. I feel kind of bad now."

-"For what?" Asami took a look at her ring, which was just finished. "'One Ring to Rule My Bra', are you kidding me?"

"What? I like Lord of the Rings."

Asami chuckled. "You are such a dork."

"That's why you love me, though."

-"Good point."

-"Ahem," the woman drew their attention. "Ladies, I will have to see some identification, and means of payment."

They both whipped out driver's licenses, and Asami put a Platinum MasterCard on the counter. "That good enough?"

-"Certainly. Now, if you would give me a moment, I have to type this out, then we can begin." She began typing away at the computer, out of sight from the couple.

Ten minutes later, they were standing at the altar, hand in hand, both of them with a big smile on their faces. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join Korra and Asami before the eye of God Almighty. Does anyone want to speak out against this?" Naturally, the woman stayed silent, and Korra couldn't help but chuckle at this. There was no one there besides her, the sermon, and the couple.

-"In that case, Asami Sato, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife in sickness and in health, 'till death do you part?"

Asami chuckled. "I do."

-"And do you, Korra Waters, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, in good times and in bad, 'till death do you part?"

She couldn't help but grin like an idiot as she heard the line. "I do."

-"Then by the power vested in me by the State of Nevada, I hereby declare you woman and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Asami smiled too and leaned in, and Korra loved it. Finally, for the first time, Asami felt comfortable enough to kiss her in front of other people. _Only two of them, and they just married you, but it's a start._

There was a bright flash, much to their surprise. As it turned out, the woman who owned the place also served as the wedding photographer. After regaining herself, the athlete's grin only grew. "Felt good, didn't it?" she asked, only a few centimeters apart.

-"It did..." Asami breathed.

-"Ladies, if you'd please follow me, we can settle the check," the woman said.

Korra chuckled. "How romantic." Still, they didn't want to deprive the woman of business now that she'd done her part, so Asami decided she should pay for this one.

After having done so, they received a flash drive with the pictures and their wedding certificate, which meant it was time to go. This also meant it was time for Korra to start thinking about what Asami should do next for her list. After all, she had bound herself to doing whatever Korra would think of, which meant that she could go quite far with her ex. _Actually, come to think of it, she went from girlfriend to ex to wife, pretty sure that's the wrong order._

Of course, the athlete didn't want to hurt Asami, so some things were out of the question, and public humiliation also didn't quite fit. _Private humiliation however, that sounds perfectly reasonable._ Inspiration for a good idea was low, however, until they walked past an enormous fat man in a tank top, who had both of his arms entirely tattooed, plus a few on his neck and his face. "Asami, I know what you're going to do next."

She followed Korra's line of sight, ending up on the same man, and she quickly turned back to her wife. "No way."

"Hey, I agreed to marry you, and you said you wouldn't protest for the next thing."

Asami sighed. "Korra, I can't beat up someone who's three times my weight."

"Not that, you're getting a tattoo!" Korra laughed.

-"Where am I going to get a tattoo at this time?"

"Well, this is Vegas, I'm sure there's one open around here somewhere." Now with a good idea of what to look for, they kept on walking, once again moving away from The Strip. Soon enough, they came across a place that looked pretty promising, that is, it was still open.

Asami still looked a little hesitant. "Korra, what would I even get for a tattoo? I never wanted one in the first place."

A mischievous smirk crept over her face. "How about you get me something to show how much you love me? After all, you wanted to get married. Seems fair enough to me."

-"In a place where only you can see it."

"Hey, you can choose the place, you have to live with it."

Her wife sighed. "Fine, let's do this." She stepped inside, and the parlor actually looked pretty happy to see customers at this time of night.

-"Good evening, ladies, how may I help you?" Korra eyed him up, and he was roughly the kind of guy she was expecting. Bald, with the exposed parts of him being more ink than bare skin. Even the top of his head was tattooed, but at least his face wasn't.

-"Apparently, I want a tattoo," Asami started. "Could you tell me where it would hurt the least? Not looking forward to that."

He smiled. "Well, it's generally the fleshy places that hurt the least. Thighs, ass, upper arms, shoulder."

Korra decided to help her make up her mind. "Asami?"

-"Hmm?"

The athlete pulled her wife close so that she could whisper in her ear. "I think it's immensely sexy if it's for my eyes only," she seductively whispered.

Asami smiled and turned back to the parlor. "Ass it is."

Soon, they sat down with a book of ideas, but Korra had a sneaking suspicion that her wife wasn't too happy about this. "Hey, it's for me only. Doesn't have to be big. How about that one? Tells me everything I ever want to know." She was pointing at a red heart with a banner over it, the banner obviously being the place where the name goes.

-"I dunno, red isn't really your color."

Korra took the book and turned it to the artist. "Hey, can you do this in blue?"

He perked up at this. "Of course I can. On her, with your name in it?"

"That's the idea." She turned back to Asami. "See? Problem solved."

Shortly thereafter, Asami was lying on the table, with her jeans around her thighs, and a design on her left butt cheek, right before the artist began. "I hate you so much right now."

Korra chuckled. "You can't hate me, you love me too much for that," she smirked.

Her wife laughed too. "Yeah, I suppose that's true. Now let's get this show on the road."

Much to the athlete's surprise, it didn't take very long for the man to finish, only about 15 minutes. In fairness, it wasn't that big, but still big enough to make out that Korra's name was in the banner across it. It also didn't have any shading in it, but Korra still really liked it. "That is one sexy ass," she smirked as Asami was checking it out in the mirror.

-"I have to admit, it looks good. What do we owe you?"

-"80 dollars," he quickly said.

Korra stepped forward. "Don't worry, babe, I got this one. You'll get the next one again."

The artist gave them a flyer for aftercare probably noticing that they were too far gone to remember what he told them, even though it was fairly likely she was going to get it removed again at some point.

The women were walking down a random street, Asami slightly uneasy because of the sensitive spot on her ass. Suddenly, she stopped, pulling Korra close by her arm. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

Korra followed her line of sight, and a smile appeared on her face. "I think I do." They were looking at a garishly neon-lit sex shop.

For once, it was Asami to drag Korra inside, which was pretty much exactly what she was expecting. There were the traditional stacks of porn movies, racks with dildos, things like blow-up sex dolls, and other things the athlete couldn't help but crack a smile at, because some of these looked downright _depraved_. "I've never been in one of these things," Asami admitted. "Does it count?"

"You mean for the list? Sure it does, as long as you buy something here."

This made her blush. "Alright, but I'm not going to do it alone. You go to the till with me."

Korra smiled. "Fair enough. Let's shop."

There was too much to choose from, really. They didn't even come here with any particular idea in mind of what they wanted, so Korra figured it should at least be something she'd consider fun.

-"Oh... Oh my..." Asami was staring at a rack of... Well, Korra wasn't entirely sure what they were at first. They were clearly bushy tails, though there was no harness attached to them to wear them. And then...

"Oh, yeah, you are _definitely_ getting one of those," the athlete smiled. It was most certainly a buttplug with a tail attached to it. _That is so wrong, so why is it so irresistible?_

Asami's blush grew as she reached out for it, and when she looked back, Korra's 'go on then'-look was enough to persuade her to actually grab it. "Alright, you pick something now."

They walked a little further, when Korra suddenly saw what she wanted. "Sweet," she grinned as she reached out for a pair of fuzzy pink handcuffs.

On the downside, Asami seemed a little disappointed. "Just handcuffs? That's nothing compared to this... thing," she said, gesturing to the tail.

"Fair enough, but do you know what's hotter than a woman with a pair of handcuffs?"

-"What?"

"A woman with _two_ pairs of handcuffs, of course!" Korra laughed, and took a second pair from the rack. "Alright, you pick one more thing, then we're out of here."

-"Fine." Asami looked around while walking through the shop a little more, before she suddenly stopped. Korra joined her, and when she took a close look at her wife, she saw that she was red as a tomato.

Turning around to see what Asami was seeing, it wasn't really a surprise why. In front of them were two mannequins, one of a male in a leather bondage outfit and a collar with a leash, the other of a woman holding said leash and wearing a massive strap-on dildo. "Are you having naughty thoughts, Mrs. Sato?" Korra asked with a knowing smile.

Asami looked down and nodded. "I... I've always wanted to try and wear one of those," she quietly mumbled, making sure that no one could hear her but Korra. "See what it feels like."

"Well..." the athlete muttered back. "We are married, and we still have to 'consummate' the marriage." She turned to her wife, a dark look of lust in her eyes. "Want to try one on me?"

Barely visible, she did nod, making Korra pump a fist in the air. "Awesome! But can I make one request?"

-"What's that?"

"That you're a _little_ less ambitious in the size department."

If nothing else, this only served to turn Asami even redder than she already was, but she did adhere to the advice. There was a whole rack of the things next to the mannequins, and she chose one that was more of a size that looked comfortable.

Paying was funny to watch, as Asami was just as flustered while she was talking to the cashier, who used the opportunity to poke a little bit of fun at them, even if he was kind enough to throw in a bottle of lube. _Probably going to be necessary._

Soon though, they were clear again, back on the street, where it was getting quite cold now. "Here," Korra said, wrapping an arm around her wife and pulling her close. "That's better, right?"

-"Much, thanks," Asami nodded.

This wasn't a very busy part of town, so there weren't many cabs passing by. They set course back in the direction of The Strip, hoping they'd have more luck there. It paid off, and soon, Korra and Asami were back on their way to the Bellagio.

It was comfortable on the backseat of the car. Asami was heavily leaning into Korra and her warmth. "Thank you for tonight," she mumbled.

"What do you mean?"

Asami sighed. "No one ever pushed me to do something like this, and it was more fun than I thought."

The athlete chuckled. "Well..." she started with a mischievous smirk. "There is one item left on the list you have to think of before you've made your five."

-"Oh, don't worry, I already have a pretty good plan for what the fifth one is going to be..." she softly replied, and leaned in to kiss Korra fiercely on the lips. She reciprocated with full force, eagerly letting Asami kiss her.

It wasn't until the taxi swerved all of a sudden and a loudly honking car broke them apart. _That fucking driver was looking more at us than he was at traffic!_ "Watch the road, man!" Korra snapped.

-"Sorry, won't happen again."

"No, because we're here, moron," Korra replied. She quickly threw a few bills at him before bolting out of the cab, quickly making their way back to their room on the 22nd floor.

 _If only it was that easy._ As soon as the elevator doors closed, Asami was all over Korra, pushing her against the wall, finally taking control over her own life. They were making out like there was no tomorrow, getting ready for what was coming. _In fairness, you're hoping that you'll both be coming not too long from now._

But then when they hit the third floor, the doors opened again, and Korra reluctantly took the responsibility to pull away. A middle-aged man stepped in, and he was still wearing his 'Make America Great Again'-hat. He raised an eyebrow at the state of them, but didn't say anything. Fortunately, he only had to go up to the sixth floor, where he left them alone again. As soon as the doors closed though, Korra and Asami looked at each other, and burst out laughing.

"Well, that wasn't awkward at all," Korra laughed.

-"I'm guessing he saw you have something on your mouth."

The athlete turned to look at herself in the mirror, seeing that there was indeed dark red lipstick smudged all over and around her lips. "Gee, I wonder who put it there. Besides, there is only one thing in this elevator that I actually want on my mouth," she smirked while waggling her eyebrows.

Asami chuckled. "Sap," she playfully bit back, but did embrace Korra again to kiss her without being afraid. Luckily, the elevator made a straight shot to the 22nd floor this time around, and soon enough, they stumbled back into their suite. Korra threw the bag of toys onto the bed, while Asami proudly displayed their marriage certificate on a side-table in the living room, and she also put the flyer of tattoo after care next to it.

They both quickly rid themselves of shoes and Asami of her jacket before embracing the other again. It was Korra who pulled them into a messy yet satisfying kiss, all the while pushing her wife towards their bed.

This. This was exactly what the athlete had been longing for over the past six years. Nothing Asami did felt wrong or unnatural. They just fit together perfectly, like two pieces of a jigsaw. She was warm, and her awful pink T-shirt accentuated her slender build. Her black skinny jeans emphasized how long her legs were. Her kisses were messy yet thoughtful. Her hands certain yet soft. If there was ever anyone Korra wanted to share her bed with, it was this woman.

Just before they reached the bed, the athlete gave Asami an extra shove, making her fall back. They didn't stay separated for long though, as Korra quickly straddled her wife, fiercely kissing her while lying on top of her. _Your favorite place to be, outside of maybe 'between her legs'._

Much to Korra's surprise though, Asami took control for a bit, wrapping her arms around the athlete and rolling them over. This, however, did not go as planned.

"Ow - OW!" Korra cried out.

-"What, what is it?" Asami asked with a worried expression.

"Stupid bag of toys is in the way," the athlete smirked, and quickly threw it aside. She saw how Asami was laughing into her chest, and tried to think up a witty comeback. "Hey, you're not the one having a massive dong poking you in the shoulder."

Her wife chuckled. "Good point. Guess I should be using it to poke you somewhere else..."

Korra smiled. "All in good time. First things first, there are a few more layers to get rid of." She promptly matched her actions to her words and pulled her shirt off, throwing it away. This left her in a simple training bra like she usually wore, and it surprised her to realize that she was still just as comfortable as she was with this six years ago.

Even more to Korra's surprise, Asami didn't hesitate either. She threw off the horrible pink shirt that Korra had forced her to wear, revealing a simple black bra and a stunning figure. "Damn..." the athlete muttered.

-"Like what you see?" she asked with a slanted smirk.

"Since when are you the confident one?"

Asami shrugged. "I don't know, I guess you bring it out in me." She leaned in to press a gentle kiss on Korra's lips. "I'm sorry, Korra. We shouldn't have wasted these last six years, and it's my fault. I was happy with you, and I was only lying to myself to please everyone else."

Korra smiled. "You know, that's exactly what I was hoping you'd say." She pulled her wife back in for another passionate kiss, and she could tell Asami was throwing all the pent-up lust and even frustration that had built up over the past six years while she was hiding herself away.

When Asami broke away, she stared at Korra with those beautiful green eyes that she could just totally lose herself in. _Wow, that would even be too sappy for a Nicholas Sparks novel._ "Do you think you can forgive me?" Asami asked, her voice wavering a little.

"Of course I can, and I will." The athlete pressed another quick kiss on her lips. "Though there is something you can do to help expedite the process," she said, glancing over to the bag lying beside them.

Asami laughed, and reached for the hem of Korra's training bra to pull it off. Korra offered no resistance, in fact, she put her arms up to facilitate this.

"There we go," the athlete smirked, liking where this was going. "Now we're getting somewhere." She pulled Asami back in for another kiss, and reached around her back to unclasp her bra surprisingly smoothly. Her wife pulled back a little in shock, and Korra put an assuring hand on her cheek. "It's okay if you don't want this. You don't have to do anything."

Asami took a deep breath. "No. It'll just take some adjusting, I suppose." She pushed herself up to straighten her arms, letting the offending clothing slip down them.

Korra smiled at the sight. Despite them having been together for nearly a year in college, she had never actually seen Asami naked. Korra was a bit more open about it, being more comfortable with her own body as an extent of her sexuality. Their first time together had been extremely cautious, especially from Korra's end, as she didn't want to push Asami. It had felt natural, even if it was a little on the safe and boring side in retrospect.

But _boy_ , did this not disappoint. In fact, she was even more beautiful than the athlete had been expecting. The soft curves under perfectly smooth alabaster skin that she'd spend the rest of the evening pleasuring. She rolled them over, putting a little bit of distance between them. "Wow..." Korra muttered, taking in her wife's beauty. "Now that's a sight I could get used to," she smirked.

However, Asami was blushing fiercely. "Do you really mean that? You're not just saying it?"

Korra leaned down, putting their foreheads against each other so that she could stare her wife straight in the eyes. "I promise you, I'm not. You are the most beautiful person I have ever seen, and to hell with what everyone else says. Right now, it's just you and me, and I have all the time in the world." She kissed Asami briefly on the lips, but then quickly started moving down, first pressing kisses along her jaw, her neck, and her shoulders.

The more of Asami's skin she explored, the more she realized just how much she hated being dressed right now, both her and her wife. Fortunately, Korra was only wearing Bermuda shorts, which were easy enough to undo. She briefly paused her caressing of Asami's sides and arms, to undo the button and help them on their way, leaving Korra in just her underwear, which she did curse herself for.

-"Hmm, going on the strong tour tonight?" Asami smirked, as she also saw that Korra was wearing her Wonder Woman boyshorts.

The athlete groaned as she let her head fall onto Asami's chest. "Tonight, of all nights, I had to wear my dorkiest pair of underwear. Why do I do this to myself?"

It only made her wife laugh even harder, which was a beautiful sounds to Korra. Here they were, barely dressed, and yet the discomfort that had begun when Asami started undressing was flying right out the window. "Maybe you're secretly a masochist?"

"Are you hoping for something?"

-"God, no," Asami chuckled. "Well, maybe. Can't let those handcuffs go unused."

Korra laughed as well. "All in good time, but for now, it's my turn." She resumed kissing virtually every inch of Asami, only now she grew a little bolder, taking one of her nipples between her lips and gently sucking on them. It made her wife gasp, which was a great sound to hear. She used her left hand to gently start kneading the other one, which made Asami lean her head back in soundless enjoyment. To get closer to her target, Korra resumed kissing downwards, and may or may not have left a few hickeys on her, basically her equivalent of marking her territory.

But as she passed Asami's belly button, something weird happened. She could feel her tense up, so the athlete immediately stopped what she was doing and looked up. "Asami, are you okay?"

-"Well..." she started, a little hesitant. "I was... kind of wondering what you're doing? I mean, I've never... had someone, you know..."

"Wait a minute," Korra said, resting her chin between Asami's belly button and the hem of her panties. "You're telling me that you have dated seven guys over the past six years... and none of them went down on you?"

Asami looked a little bashful at this. "I guess it just...never came up?"

The athlete smiled. "Boy, have you been missing out. Allow me to demonstrate." Korra looked her wife in the eyes, but when there wasn't a hint of protest in those beautiful jade orbs, she went through with it. In one swift motion, Asami's panties were discarded, finally revealing her full beauty to Korra. It was fairly obvious that Asami always took her time shaving, because she was perfectly smooth, unlike what Korra knew herself to be.

She gently traced on hand down, brushing her thumb over Asami's clit, getting a quick shiver out of her. "Hmm, if you get so excited from so little, what's this going to be like?" Korra smiled, and repositioned herself to be a little lower on the bed. She lifted her wife's legs onto her shoulders, granting her easy access to something that she'd basically been wanting for the past six years.

And Korra couldn't restrain herself. She'd waited too long for this to take her time and tease Asami a little like she usually did with other women. Instead, she ran her tongue up through her lower lips once, and quickly settled on her clit. And good _God_ did she not disappoint. Asami's taste was sweet, with just a hint of saltiness in there that only added extra depth.

On top of that, she was responsive. As poised and precise she was during the day, now that Korra had her face buried between Asami's legs, she was coming undone completely. She ran circles around Asami's clit with her tongue, relishing in the moans this got out of her. The athlete couldn't quite figure out how close her wife was to the edge, but no way in hell was she gonna wait to find out. It had been six years, Korra had done her fair share of waiting.

She felt Asami tangle her fingers in her hair, pressing her in a little more, but Korra didn't mind. But she wanted to taste as much of her as she could right now, so the athlete angled herself down a little more and pushed her tongue into Asami's opening. This got a moan out of her, which was one half of the desired effect. The other half was simply that Korra could now relish in her taste, just like she had wanted.

Of course, she was also determined to get her wife off as many times as she could tonight, so she also worked one of her hands free to push Asami's leg aside. Fortunately, she was quite flexible, capable of bending it most of the way to the side. This gave Korra plenty of room to bring her now free hand up and rub her clit with it in slow circles, getting another moan out of her. Asami was close - very close, in fact.

-"Oh God, Korra..." she softly moaned, clearly out of breath. The athlete felt Asami's fingers press down a little harder on the back of her head, and she pushed her tongue out just that little bit more and simultaneously pressed down on her clit.

This did it. Asami raised her hips off the bed as she arched her back, her mouth open, but no sound came out. Korra decided the best thing now was to keep on licking. After all, her first real time with a woman should be special, and if nothing else, it should at least be good.

When she fell down on the bed again, Korra rested her chin on Asami's lower belly, a big smile on her face. "I'd say that went pretty well."

-"Fuck... Korra... That was _amazing_ ," Asami panted, completely out of breath.

"Told you you'd been missing out." The athlete crawled her way up her wife's body, planting a sloppy kiss on her lips. Korra slipped off but still let her hand rest in the center of Asami's chest, right between her breasts. Her heart was beating fast, and Korra gave her a moment to catch her breath. "So what'd you think?"

Asami rolled them over, making sure Korra stayed where she was. "Alright, you were right on that one. Guess it's time for using a few of the things we bought." She reached over the side of the bed, grabbing the white plastic bag that Korra had thrown aside so casually earlier. It did make Korra smile to see her own name on her wife's butt, slightly jiggling as the bag was just out of reach.

-"Let's what we have..." Asami said while emptying its contents on the bed. "Handcuffs, maybe in a bit, strap-on, definitely in a bit, and that weird tail-thingy." She quickly pulled it out of the box and held it up to inspect it. "Hmm, it looked a lot smaller in the store, wouldn't you say?"

Korra quickly nodded, because her wife was right on that one. "Yes, it did."

Asami said nothing as she inspected it a little more. "Glad I'm not you."

At this, the athlete could feel her eyes go wide. "Wait, you want to put that thing in _my_ ass?!"

-"You were the one who insisted that I'd buy it. Don't think I'm being unreasonable that you're the one to try it out."

Korra took a deep breath, because there was some merit to that. "Okay, but make sure to use plenty of that lube, okay?"

-"Of course."

She knew Asami well enough to realize that smile meant she was up to no good. Korra decided now was a good time to rid herself of her Wonder Woman boyshorts. This was also a moment for a questioning look in Asami's direction, because she wasn't sure if she'd like the patch of hair she kept down there. It was trimmed, but not smoothly. _Downsides of not being huge on grooming._

Much to Korra's relief, she didn't even mention it. Asami definitely noticed, that much was obvious, but either she liked it or she didn't care, Korra was sure.

-"Alright, here it is, open up," Asami cheerfully declared as she held the tail plug right in front of the athlete's mouth. She was a little hesitant, but took it anyway, and her wife dove straight back into the bag, pulling out both the bottle of lube and the strap-on. The plug was a little uncomfortable, but now that it was in her mouth, Korra didn't think it was quite as daunting as Asami had made it sound. Besides, she had experimented over the years, this wasn't the first time she'd take something in the backdoor. _Though in fairness, you only agreed to that **after** he took off his pants and saw his... below average endowment._

Asami gently pulled on the plug, making Korra release it. "See, nothing to worry about," she smiled.

"Easy for you to say. You're not about to take it up the ass."

-"Good point." Didn't seem like she was going to ease up on Korra though, seeing how she squirted out a dollop of lube onto the plug. "Come on, roll over."

The athlete took a deep breath and complied, exposing her butt to Asami. _Talk about bending over with your pants around your ankles._

-"Hey," Asami softly said, getting Korra's attention again. It should be noted that it was a little bit difficult to stay focused because her hand was resting on Korra's ass, but the sincerity in her voice was unmistakable. "If it hurts, I want you to say so, okay?"

"I will, don't worry."

Her wife nodded and finally lined up the plug, gently pushing it inside. "Oh, fuck..." Korra breathed, because it was a very weird feeling. She felt herself being stretched out, but Asami's gentle touch shone through, and it didn't hurt, even if it did feel weird. Soon enough though, Korra noticed that it was past the widest part, and Asami let it go.

-"There it is..." she smirked, leaning back up and taking a satisfied look at her work. "How does it feel?"

"Weird, but nice. Feels... full," Korra admitted. She pushed herself up so that she was on all fours and shook her butt from side to side a couple of times. "Should I wear a tail more often, do you think?"

Asami laughed and pressed a quick kiss on the athlete's lips. "I'd like to see you with that more, but only when it's just for me."

The athlete gently rolled over, and quickly found out that she could happily lie on her back without the tail hurting in any way. "Now how about you put that dong to use so that we can have some real fun?"

-"You got it." Asami pulled the strap-on from its box, and struggled with the clasps for a bit, but figured out how she was supposed to wear it soon enough. Korra was glad she'd talked her out of getting the biggest one, because even this one looked pretty big. That being said, the sight of Asami wearing one of those was ridiculously arousing to the athlete. Sure, she looked a little nervous and was definitely a few shades redder than normal, but a sight like that could only mean good things were going to happen.

"Now that is properly hot," Korra smirked, only turning her wife even redder. "Come here. As much as I like the view, it's not for looking at."

Asami laughed and let herself fall into Korra's arms again, pulling her in for a fierce kiss. Sure, the strap-on was poking her in the thighs a little, but right now, Korra didn't really care about that. She could feel herself get very wet very quickly, and they had only barely started.

Asami pulled back a little, and they looked each other straight in the eyes for a moment. The athlete grabbed the bottle of lube and reached town to smear some on the strap-on, even though she doubted the need for it. _Still, there's no such thing as too much lube._

Korra gave Asami a brief nod. "Do it," she said.

Carefully, she lined up the business end with Korra's opening, and gently pushed inside of her. Korra was instantly glad that they hadn't gone for the even bigger model, because this was already stretching her as is. "Fuck..." she breathed. "Asami... slowly..." Not that she wasn't taking it slow already, but it couldn't hurt to say it.

Korra reached down and grabbed onto Asami's hips, clearly indicating that she wanted to set the pace herself right now. She continued to ease her in, until she felt the harness press up against her, and Korra let her mouth fall open while she was panting. "Damn... that is definitely something else..." she breathed.

Asami chuckled. "Good or bad?"

"Good, definitely good."

-"Can I..." Asami hesitantly started, but didn't really think now was the best time.

Korra did, though. She was getting used to the size of the shaft inside of her, and thought now would be a good time to see how much her wife could really do with it. "You can. Just start me off easy, okay?"

She nodded, and with that, slowly pulled back a bit, before slowly thrusting forward again. It sent a wave of warmth through Korra, who could easily feel her thighs become slick from the sensation it was bringing in. She let out a low moan and cupped Asami's face, pulling her in for another kiss.

Slowly but surely, Asami pulled back, only to push forward again. Korra's moans got louder and louder with every time this happened, and she knew that things were going to go fast from here on out, especially after her wife picked up the pace. The athlete wrapped her arms around Asami, limiting her freedom of movement to pretty much just her hips, but for the moment, that was enough.

Not for her wife though, who grabbed Korra's arms and put them beside her again. "You took care of me... your turn to let me take care of you."

"Hmm, 'Sami... I've waited too long to put my hands on you and I'm not a pillow princess."

-"Don't make me pull out those handcuffs."

"What makes you think I wouldn't want you to?" Korra asked, turning back to face Asami with a mischievous smirk, who immediately raised an eyebrow.

-"That sounds like a challenge."

The athlete's smile grew. "It's definitely a challenge."

Asami smiled right back at her. "Well, I accept." She reached over to the little plastic bag, and pulled out the two pairs of handcuffs. Fortunately for them, there were what Korra assumed were ornamental gaps on the side of the headboard, half circles with the steel tubes of the frame exposed. _Perfect for attaching handcuffs to, which, come to think of it, is a little suspect._

-"Come on, roll over."

This actually had Korra a little worried. "You are not putting that thing in my ass."

Asami raised her hands in defeat. "No, I don't want to!" A brief pause followed, with her giving a little shrug. "Yet..."

Korra chuckled, but finally did roll onto her belly. "Alright, gimme your worst."

With this, Asami took her hands one at a time, and clicked the athlete's hands to the headboard. They felt a little flimsy to Korra, but at the same time, strong enough to hold her back and the fake pink fur on them was soft enough that they weren't uncomfortable. More importantly, they did their job in getting her more excited, which she didn't really think was possible. She was having sex with the most beautiful woman in the world, how could it possibly get better than that?

As it turned out, Asami found a way. She leaned down next to Korra's ear and whispered "Now this is something I like to see," after which she very gently bit her ear.

The athlete groaned with excitement, the anticipation within her almost tangible, but Asami wasn't done playing just yet. She gently scratched her nails down Korra's back, leaving little white lines on the dark skin, all the way to her butt. Here, Asami gently pulled on the tail a few times, hard enough to put some force on it, but not hard enough to pull it out.

Korra whined at the sensation, and more to the point, the lack of sensation of the strap-on that she so desperately wanted again. "'Sami... stop teasing..."

-"Okay, if that's what you really want, put your ass up." The athlete complied, and soon enough felt Asami line up the tip of the strap-on again with her opening, and gently pushed it in, but being less gentle on subsequent thrusts.

"Ooohhhh, fuck..." Korra breathed. Wave after wave of warmth and energy was rolling over her, making her muscles tense up, pulling on the handcuffs to no avail. _They might look flimsy, but do exactly what is said on the box._ Asami was speeding up, their thighs loudly slapping together on every thrust, and if Korra wasn't mistaken, the sound was getting wetter with every slap.

Korra's breathing was turning more and more into panting, which was a strange sensation for someone in Korra's physical shape, feeling the exhaustion set in already. Not all that remarkable though, as she could feel her climax approaching, but just the strap-on wasn't going to do it. "Please... use your hands..."

Asami leaned forward, putting one hand between the athlete's head and her shoulder, and let the other slip around and down over the short stubble, until she hit Korra's clit and immediately started rubbing it. "Like that?"

Truth be told, Korra barely heard that question, as her only response was a series of moans, because it felt _good_. Asami's thrusts may have slowed down somewhat because of her new position, but her hand more than made up for the difference. She was hitting Korra in all the right spots, to the point that her moans weren't separate anymore, they were strung out into one continuous moan.

And what it ultimately took was one more thrust from Asami's hips that pushed Korra over the edge. Her knees gave out and she fell back onto the bed, her wife on top of her. The release washed over the athlete like she had never felt before. It wasn't just the orgasm, but the build-up, the circumstances, and most importantly, who was giving it to her. Korra clenched up around the strap-on, pretty much locking Asami in place, and then it felt like everything went black.

Turns out this was just a momentary blackout from the intensity of her orgasm, because she soon enough came to again. "Holy... shit..." Korra breathed.

Asami just chuckled, and tried pulling her wife in for a kiss, which was difficult because of the handcuffs. Not that Korra was about to be put off by that, instead, she twisted her neck into what felt like an impossible position to make the kiss happen. "I love you, 'Sami," she whispered.

-"I love you too," Asami whispered back. "Now let me take off this ridiculous contraption, and then I can free you."

But at the loss of her wife's touch on her, Korra whined, because it suddenly felt a lot colder. "Hnng," she groaned. "I want cuddles!"

Asami chuckled as she tossed the strap-on on the floor. "You also want to be free, right?"

"Cuddles first, you can free me in a minute." The athlete got her way, since she felt her wife's baby-soft skin press into her back and another kiss on her cheek.

-"You were right, Kor," she said. "This was _way_ better than getting drunk at a bar."

Korra chuckled, which quickly turned into a yawn. There was probably a lot she wanted to say, make pillow talk for hours and just whisper sweet nothings at each other, but it wasn't meant to be. With the exertions of tonight, both women were completely spent, and before long, they were both soundly asleep, unaware that neither one would remember what had happened here by daybreak.

* * *

 _Don't worry, everyone, there will be an epilogue to this. Also, if you want a little insight into Korra and Asami's relationship in college, check out the bonus chapter of What Happens In College... over on the Avatar Wiki or Archive of Our Own. Later!_


	32. The Suit Makes the Woman

_For erraticshift._

* * *

-"Why are you still not dressed? We're supposed to leave in an hour."

Korra sighed as she turned around to face her mother. "Because I honestly don't get why I have to be there too. You've been dragging me all over the world since I was four, and now I can't even decide how to spend my own Saturday nights?"

-"Not when it's this important to your father," Senna objected. "This is a great moment to network, for both of you, actually. It can only come in handy when you'll have to pick a college soon."

Another conversation they'd had a thousand times over. Korra had basically already made up her mind, she wanted to stay here in Republic City and study physical therapy. Both of her parents would rather see her go into law so that she could follow in her father's footsteps as ambassador or something else political and preferably high up the social ladder, but that wasn't where her heart was. "You really want to do have this talk now?"

Senna took a deep breath. "No, you're right. So come on, suit and tie, we're expected at the reception in two hours."

* * *

Approximately two hours and five minutes later, Korra felt like taking the nearest vaguely sharp thing and cut her arms open from wrist to elbow. Fucking hell, was this party awful. It was some sort of reception thrown in the honor of a five-year trade agreement between the United Republic and the Southern Water Tribe, supposedly it made a lot of rich people even richer, while doing not all that much for everyone else.

Still, it was as good an excuse as any for said rich people to drink expensive wine and eat over-designed snacks, unfortunately, Korra found herself dragged here when she could be at home with Netflix and a bag of Doritos.

She had shaken hands with the President of the Republic, some secretary of something vaguely important, and a couple of rich businesspeople, none of whom seemed to realize before that moment that women can wear suits instead of dresses to events like these.

But there was one saving grace: the bartender looked nice enough, which was a good thing, given how much time Korra was planning to spend with him.

Once she had her drink, she leaned back against the bar and checked out the room, seeing if there was anyone interesting here. At first glance, no such luck, but then... _wow_.

Standing near a table on the far side was an absolutely gorgeous woman, who actually appeared to be Korra's age. She was wearing a long burgundy dress, subtly highlighting her exceedingly feminine curves. Her long raven hair flowed over her back, left bare by the dress, which was far less modest on the back than it was on the front.

More to the point, she looked to be having about as much fun as Korra was, which was working in her favor now. Mostly because of that, she decided to walk over to her and go for it.

"You don't look very happy to be here," Korra opened. It was a pretty safe opener here, because no one was happy to be here, judging by the surprisingly high count of fake smiles she got during the evening.

-"It's probably because I'm not," the girl kind of snappishly responded before even looking up from her phone, though when she did, her expression softened a little. "Then again, neither do you."

Korra chuckled. "That's definitely because I'm not."

It made the girl laugh, which was definitely a good thing. "Does beg the question of why you _are_ here, in that case."

"My dad. He's the massive man kissing up to the president."

-"Same here, actually, though my dad is the fat man kissing up to the secretary of commerce."

Korra exchanged a slanted look with the girl for a moment, before they both burst out laughing. "I'm Korra," she ultimately said when they calmed down as she extended her hand.

-"Asami Sato," the girl said as she shook it.

Korra thought for a moment. "Sato... Why does that name sound so familiar?"

Asami raised up her phone, showing the back with the half cog embedded in the glass by way of logo. "Probably here. My dad manufactures them."

"Holy shit, you're _that_ Sato?"

She nodded. "Yep. My dad really wanted me to come here, said it was good for my connections," Asami said while rolling her eyes, making Korra chuckle.

"Definitely know that feeling. Also, no offense, but I went for a phone from the competition."

Now it was Asami's turn to laugh. "Don't sweat it. My dad doesn't have a complete monopoly on the market, as much as he wants to. At least you're helping us keep on our toes."

Korra smiled at how easy it was to talk to Asami, already feeling like this night would be a lot less horrible. Unfortunately, that feeling was curb-checked soon enough by her mother. "Korra? Who's your friend here?"

-"Asami Sato," she confidently said.

Somehow, Senna seemed less than impressed by this, judging by her raised eyebrow. "Right... Korra, there someone else I want you to meet," she said, and dragged her away by the arm.

Korra turned back to Asami one last time, already sensing where this was going. "Save me," she mouthed at her, but for now, this really was going to be it.

* * *

Asami was bored to tears. After Korra's mother had dragged her away, she soon lost track of the only enjoyable company here. Heck, she'd even had to fend off advances from a man twice her age who clearly had a drink or two too much in his system.

It didn't help that her father had spotted them talking too, and it seemed like he was doing his best to keep them apart for now, make sure that Asami would spend her time 'useful'.

But as the party was winding down, she managed to tear herself away from her father's watchful eye for just long enough to spot Korra making her way to the back of the room, where there was an exit to a balcony of sorts, fairly secluded from the rest of the party. This was her chance.

Asami followed her out, and once she got onto the balcony, had to pause for just a moment to catch her breath, because _damn_ , that wasn't what she was expecting.

Korra was no longer as impeccably dressed as she had been earlier, she was clearly sick of the constricting suit. She had pulled her tie fairly loose and undone the top two buttons of her shirt, revealing her perfect brown skin underneath it. Also, she was just finishing rolling up her sleeves, which showed off her clearly powerful arms. Korra looked absolutely _amazing_ like this, her slightly choppy short hair falling over her ears, and that paired with the current state of her suit made her look ruggedly handsome in the best possible way.

And then she noticed Asami standing there. "Oh, hey, Asami. Fancy seeing you here."

She shook herself out of her daze, and forced herself to put a smile on her face again, even though this wasn't very hard. "Well, you know. It's about time I got some fresh air." Asami leaned on the railing next to Korra, where they had an absolutely terrific view of the city basking in its own glow. "Say, do you happen to have smokes on you? Can't keep those anywhere in this thing," she said, gesturing to her dress.

-"You know, that's very bad for you."

Asami sighed. "Yeah, I knew it was a long shot."

-"Fortunately for you, I'm one to believe in the saying 'a problem shared is a problem halved'," Korra continued as she pulled a pack from her pocket as she held it out to Asami, who took one while laughing. "Also, it really is a beautiful dress. Sacrifices must be made somewhere."

"Thanks," Asami smiled as Korra lit her cigarette. "Though you seemed to have gotten around the problem okay."

Korra chuckled while she looked down at her suit. "I suppose. Though that was born mostly out of necessity, because my mother was tired of me flashing everyone."

Asami broke out laughing, but at the same time, was completely lost. "What? I think that needs some more explanation."

-"Fair enough," she conceded. "My parents first started taking me to these things when I was just a little girl, like five or something. Don't know why they wouldn't leave me at home, but they felt it necessary. Anyway, my mom had dressed me up in a cute little blue dress, but I was a really active kid and wouldn't stop fidgeting with it. I'd been wearing pants for so long that the dress felt really weird to me, and during the entire time I was awake at the party, I kept on lifting it up so that I could move my legs freely, but of course, flashed everyone my underwear in the process."

It only made Asami laugh harder, because that looked like a really funny sight in her head, a tiny Korra doing that. "So you went in a suit next time?"

-"Well, sort of. Mom tried to get me in a dress again the next time, but same result, despite a few stern lectures. But honestly, I was five, how much of an impression do you think that left on me? So yeah, after that, she decided not to try it again, and instead went with a tiny suit that I recently saw again, actually. It was really adorable."

Asami chuckled again. "I bet it did. Just for the record though, I think a suit looks really good on you."

Now it was Korra's turn to laugh. "Yeah, I kind of figured that out from when you were staring."

It made Asami blush, and she took a drag from her cigarette, trying to cover her red cheeks with her hand as subtly as she could. Not very successful, obviously, but it was worth a shot. "Sorry."

Korra smiled as she took a sip from her drink. "Don't worry about it, I'll take it as a compliment."

"Probably for the best." A cold breeze blew over the balcony, which wasn't doing Asami much good in her backless dress. "Oh boy. It's not exactly warm out here, now is it?"

-"No, it's not, though I bet it's worse for you."

"Fair bet."

Korra chuckled. "If you're angling for my jacket, I think I have something better," she said while holding her hand up, signaling Asami to take it.

She did, and while Korra's hand was nice and warm, it didn't do much for the rest of her. "Still quite brisk, you know."

-"I know, I wasn't done," Korra chuckled. She turned them both halfway around so they were now facing each other, and Asami felt Korra's free arm low around her back, not quite low enough to be on her butt, but on its way there. Given how close they were, her intentions were clear, and Asami suddenly felt a bit more nervous.

"Umm... Korra?"

-"Yes?" she replied, already putting a bit more distance between them, much to Asami's chagrin. Korra really was nice and warm, and it helped a lot.

"No, no, don't stop, it's just... I've never done this before... with a girl..."

She smiled a dastardly handsome smile, slightly lopsided, but oh so appealing. "Then just try and enjoy the moment." With that, she closed the gap between them, finally capturing Asami's lips with her own.

And _boy_ , did it not disappoint. Asami had kissed before, but all of them had been boys, and occasionally a few men later on, but none of them really did it for her. But now kissing Korra, everything suddenly was so crystal clear. Her lips were soft and ever so welcome on Asami's. There was just the right amount of pressure, just the right amount of tongue, so when she ultimately broke away, Asami couldn't help but let out a soft moan of disappointment from the loss. "Whoa..." she breathed.

Korra chuckled. "Better than getting to wear my jacket?"

"I'll say..." she breathed back, still trying to reset her thoughts. The kiss had definitely warmed her up from top to bottom, there was no need right now for warmer attire.

-"Want to go back inside?" Korra asked her after a bit.

Asami just smiled back. "Hell no. I like it _way_ better out here."

* * *

 _Alright, this isn't totally out of the blue, there is artwork for this chapter, but you can only find that on Archive of Our Own, where I can actually post illustrations with my stories. Trust me, it's worth it._


	33. Asami Alone

Asami was good at being alone. After all, he had spent most of her life being on her own, and it usually didn't bother her.

After her mother died, her father locked himself off for such a long time from her. He had a really hard time with it, and threw himself into his work to keep himself occupied, but that ended with not giving as much attention to Asami as he probably should have.

And sure, she was six, so he did make sure there were nannies and babysitters to make sure she was ever wanting of something, but that didn't mean Asami wasn't on her own for a lot of the time. Her first nanny was okay, but after a few years, she retired due to her old age. Asami herself was 11 at that time, and the nanny she got to replace her was extremely strict. She wouldn't allow Asami to play with boys, or even do mechanical things. The young girl wanted to take everything apart and find out how it worked, what did what, and how it all fit together, but no, that was boy's stuff.

That was what brought Asami and her father closer together. On the weekends, he would be at home and they would be able to spend some more time together, usually by taking apart old cars and motorcycles. It taught Asami how fulfilling working with her hands could be, as well as her impressive range of mechanical skills.

But that did not change the fact that that was only two days out of the weeks. She had a few friends going to her all-girl school, and even fewer that weren't friends with her for the status, but that only lasted until her nanny caught her kissing one of the girls she was friends with. After that, she wouldn't even allow Asami to play with other girls either.

Also, and even though she wasn't sure at the time how that had happened, she was pulled out of her school at the end of the year, and was homeschooled from that point on. Her father could easily afford the best tutors in Republic City for everything, ranging from literature to self-defense classes, and she got them, but now Asami really did spend all of her time on her own.

She wanted to do more mechanical work, so when she was 16, she convinced her father that she no longer needed a nanny. This finally allowed Asami the freedom to do what she wanted, and she took apart everything in the house and put it back together to kill the time. She took up racing as well, see the fruits of her labor, usually against the clock, and only sometimes against a Future Industries test driver, ensuring once again that she was on her own for most of the time.

Her life was thrown upside down when she met Korra though. First through the Equalist Revolution, where, even though she became a part of the new Team Avatar, she was the outlier. Everyone was nice to her, especially considering her father betrayed them and had both financed and engineered the Revolution, but it just wasn't the same. Mako was becoming distant and she soon learned why, Korra spent a lot of their time together in a jealous funk, and Bolin was too dense to notice.

After the Revolution was over, she did travel with Korra to the South Pole to see Katara, but she was seriously considering going with General Iroh to join the military. There, she would fit in, be an engineer, and she'd always have someone to be around, even when everyone else in her life seemed not to care.

But with her father's arrest going on, she knew it was up to her to save what was left of his legacy. Not for him, he betrayed it himself, but because of the thousands of people who had previously counted on him for their livelihoods. They were the victims here, and Asami knew it was up to her to save them.

And yet she was on her own once more. Investors left because they didn't want to be associated with the company, so did many engineers, and now Asami had to fulfill both roles on her own, at an age far too young to be responsible for so many people.

What made it worse was there was no one to support her. Sure, she had seen her father do the same work, but it was hard when everyone was busy with their own lives. Korra, Mako, Bolin, they all pursued their own goals, and that made it all the harder for Asami. Her first friends in years, and they were too busy themselves, leaving her on her own again. And yet she pushed through.

So after things had calmed down in the Water Tribes, her company had been saved by _and_ from Varrick, it felt good to be going out again with her friends on a mission to change the world for the better: rebuilding the Air Nation. They did come across the Red Lotus and Asami got captured with Korra by the Earth Queen's forces, which made her realize something: for the first time in over a decade, she was not on her own. Working together with Korra while in the desert came so... natural, that she hardly stopped to absorb just what they could achieve together. This was also the point where Asami thought her feelings for the Avatar might be more than just platonic, but with everything going on, now was not the time to act on those feelings.

With Korra in a wheelchair, all she could do was be there for her friend, support her, and respect her decisions. So when she said that she wanted to go to the South Pole to recover further, Asami knew she would soon be on her own once more. Korra assured her with would just be for a few weeks, but weeks turned into months, months into years. Asami wrote letters, stacks of them, but Korra almost never wrote back. It felt like she was talking to a void, and someone could hear her, but never said anything back.

She received letters from Korra's parents, thanking Asami for her own letters, but also saying that Korra did not feel up to writing one herself just yet. It was understandable, but this was the first time in her life that Asami was not just alone, she was lonely.

The night that Asami realized that, she cried herself to sleep. In all those years spent on her own, without real friends or people who just stuck around her for her father's money, she had learned to cope with being on her own, but never had she been lonely. Now, even that safety was gone.

So when she finally got a letter from Korra herself, she literally cried tears of joy, though the meaning of those tears did change as she read the letter. It had taken two years for Korra to build up the courage to write, and going by this letter, Asami knew that it might be a long time before she would truly see her friend again.

Wu's coronation had gotten her excited, not the actual event, but mostly because she would get to see Korra again. Mako and Bolin would be there too, which should be nice. She had corresponded with them as well over the past three years, even met up when their schedules allowed it, but it was never the same as it had been before.

She was gutted when she realized that Korra wasn't on the ship that carried Tonraq, and that she had lied to all of them. But also, Asami was worried. When she got another letter in the mail, for the briefest moment, she hoped that it was from Korra and that it would hold some answers, but no. She recognized the handwriting as being that of her father, which finally pushed her over the edge.

Going to the prison to tell him off once and for all was one of the hardest things Asami had ever done. She just made herself even more alone than she already had been, but this time around, it was completely her own doing. He had reached out, and she pushed him away. Of course, she had every reason to, but that did not make it any easier to deal with.

Finally seeing Korra again was the best feeling she'd had in years. Asami hugged her tight, and felt safe in her arms. For just a moment, she knew that she was not alone anymore, and that as long as she kept Korra close, she might never be again. The reunion did have a rough start, but they made it work in the end. It was good to have Team Avatar back together, even if Bolin was missing from the group for now.

Forgiving her father was tough, it was hard to try and see past everything that he had done to hurt her. But working with him on the hummingbird suits felt just like good old times, when she worked with him on cars and motorcycles on those weekends. At that moment, Asami was truly not alone.

So when she was forced to watch him die, it was a blow. That was only made worse when the blast of the spirit cannon swallowed Korra and Kuvira whole. She couldn't lose both her father and her best friend at the same time.

But it wasn't that easy to kill Korra. Watching her walk out of the Spirit portal with Kuvira was a mixed feeling for Asami: on the one hand, utter joy that Korra was alive and well, but on the other, she was practically carrying the woman who had killed her father right before her eyes. She decided not to focus on the bad for now, the good was more important.

Korra was there for her during the ceremony for her father. It was a small affair, and what stung even more for Asami was that she couldn't even give him a proper burial. The hummingbird suit had been crushed so completely that there was no way any recognizable remains could have been recovered, and they buried and empty casket. But what did make it so much better was that Asami was not alone for this. She couldn't have handled that.

Going with Korra to the Spirit World had been amazing. Their first kiss, the first time they made love under the stars, it was utter joy. Her thoughts before might just come true: as long as Korra was by her side, she would never be alone again.

But it wouldn't be so easy. Being the Avatar, Korra was extremely busy, and since Asami had a company to run, so was she. The time they got to spend together was rather minimal, but at least her job kept her from being totally on her own once more.

That is, it did, except at night. Asami lived in the Sato Mansion that was far too big for just her alone, and even when her girlfriend was there, it felt kind of empty. Right now, Korra was out to settle some dispute in the newly created Earth Federation, while Asami stayed in Republic City. It was two in the morning, and she found herself staring at the ceiling from the bed that was far too big for just herself. There was nothing to do here but focus on the fact that she was alone again.

So imagine her joy when she heard stumbling downstairs. Naga didn't bark, she instead trotted over, and the faint laughter coming from downstairs confirmed to Asami that Korra had in fact come home.

When the bedroom door opened, she smiled at her girlfriend. "Hey."

"Hey. I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No, don't worry about it. Couldn't sleep without you here."

Korra gave her a faint smile and left a trail of clothes between the door and the bed as she crawled under the covers as well. She wrapped and arm around Asami, who instantly felt much safer. Sure, Korra might smell like sweat and smoke, indicating that whatever had happened had to be solved with force, but she still felt safe.

And Asami knew; she was no longer alone.

* * *

 _I'm not dead! I know my last update was one that nobody cared for, namely my Winter Olympics one-shot, and that was a while ago, but I have had a lot of things going on in my personal life since then, all of which more serious than stressing for an exam, which kind of bumped me out of the mood of writing. So I don't know when the next update is going to be, either for my running stories or for this. I hope it's soon, but I honestly can't make any promises right now. I at least hope you enjoyed this slightly more off-beat story. Take care, people!_


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